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FROM  U.  S.  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 


TWENTY-SECOND  ANNUAL  REPORT  PART  III  PL  VI 


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PENNSYLVANIA  ANTHRACITE  COAL  FIELD 


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REPORT 


TO  THE 


PRESIDENT 


ON  THE 


ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE 


May-October,  1902, 

BY  THE 


ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

1903. 


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ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


COMMISSIONERS. 


GEORGE  GRAY,  Chairman _ 

CARROLL  D.  W RIGHT,  Recorder 

JOHN  M.  WILSON _ 

JOHN  L.  SPALDING _ 

EDGAR  E.  CLARK _ 

THOMAS  H.  WATKINS _ 

EDWARD  W.  PARKER _ 


-Wilmington,  Del. 
.Washington,  D.  C. 
.Washington,  D.  C. 
-Peoria,  III. 

Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa. 
-Scranton,  Pa. 
-Washington,  D.  C. 


ASSISTANT  RECORDERS. 

EDWARD  A.  MOSELEY _ Washington,  D.  C. 

CHARLES  P.  NEILL _ Washington,  D.  C. 

OFFICIAL  REPORTERS. 

HANNA  &  BUDLONG _ Washington,  D.  C. 


BOSTON  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 
CHESTNUT  HILL,  MASS. 

DEC  2 


363320 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Message  of  the  President .  7 

Report  of  the  Commission: 

History  of  the  appointment  of  the  Commission .  11-17 

Operators’  letter  relative  to  submission .  11, 12 

Telegram  of  the  President  to  John  Mitchell .  12 

Letter  of  John  Mitchell  to  the  President .  12, 13 

Action  of  the  mine  workers’  convention  relative  to  submission .  13 

President’s  appointment  of  the  Commission .  14 

Independent  operators,  list  of . - . -  -  -  15, 16 

Anthracite  coal  region  and  its  production .  17-22 

Annual  shipments  from  the  coal  regions,  1820-1901  .  19,  20 

Duration  of  life  of  coal  supply .  21,  22 

Production  of  coal .  22 

The  coal-carrying  companies . 22 

Market  conditions .  23-27 

Sizes  of  anthracite  coal .  23,  24 

Destination  of  coal .  24 

Shipment  of  various  sizes  of  coal .  25 

Average  f.  o.  b.  prices,  New  York  Harbor . .  25,  26 

Cost  of  opening  a  colliery .  27 

Hazardous  nature  of  anthracite  mining . • .  27-31 

Fatal  accidents  per  1,000  employees  in  coal  mining .  28-30 

Accidents  per  1,000  of  railway  employees .  30 

Accidents  and  death  rate  per  1,000  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland .  31 

History  and  causes  of  the  strike  of  1902  . . .  31-37 

Losses  from  the  strike .  37 

Work  of  the  Commission .  37-39 

Demands  of  the  mine  workers .  39-41 

Summary  of  answers  of  operators . . 41,  42 

Findings  of  the  Commission .  42-87 

Demand  for  higher  wages  for  contract  miners .  42-51 

Population  and  home  ownership .  43,  44 

School  attendance . -  -  -  45, 46 

School  population  and  facilities . .  46 

Cost  of  living .  . 46,  47 

Wages  of  contract  miners  . . . .  47-51 

Award  under  first  demand . . .  51 

Demand  for  reduction  in  hours  of  labor . . 52-56 

Classification  of  labor  in  and  around  the  mines .  52 

Award  relating  to  hoisting  engineers  and  other  engineers  and 

pumpmen  in  positions  that  are  manned  continuously .  53 

Award  relating  to  firemen . .  33 


3 


4 


CONTENTS. 


Report  of  the  Commission — Concluded. 

Findings  of  the  Commission — Concluded. 

Demand  for  reduction  in  hours  of  labor — Concluded.  Page. 

Average  breaker  time .  54, 55 

Wages  of  day  men  and  boys .  55,  56 

General  award  under  second  demand .  56 

Demand  for  payment  by  weight . 57-60 

Pennsylvania  law  of  March  30,  1875  . . .  57,  58 

Pennsylvania  law  of  June  13,  1883 .  58,  59 

Award  under  third  demand .  60 

Demand  for  agreement  with  United  Mine  Workers  of  America . 60-68 

Character  of  United  Mine  Workers  of  America . . 60-62 

Conciliation  and  arbitration .  62-64 

Rights  of  union  and  nonunion  men .  64,  65 

Boys  in  the  union .  65 

Constitution  of  United  Mine  WTorkers  of  America .  65,  66 

Independent  department  of  anthracite  mine  workers . .  66,  67 

Award  under  fourth  demand .  67,  68 

Check  weighmen  and  check  docking  bosses .  68,  69 

Experience  under  the  same .  68,  69 

Award  relating  thereto .  69 

Distribution  of  mine  cars .  69,  70 

Award  relating  thereto . 70 

Mine  cars .  70,  71 

Variation  in  size  of .  70,  71 

Award  relating  thereto . 71 

Sliding  scale .  71,  72 

A. ward  relating  thereto .  72 

Discrimination,  lawlessness,  boycotting,  and  blacklisting .  72-79 

Discussion  of  these  subjects .  72-79 

Award  relating  thereto .  79 

Direct  payment  to  laborers .  79 

Award  relating  thereto .  79 

Life  and  conditions  of  the  awards .  79 

Recapitulation  of  awards .  80-83 

General  recommendations . 83-87 

Enforcement  of  law  and  protection  of  property .  83,  84 

Employment  of  children .  84 

Compulsory  investigation .  84-87 

Appendix  A:  Names  of  parties  and  counsel  and  their  statement  of  the  case..  91-171 

Parties  to  the  hearings  before  the  Commission .  91 

List  of  counsel .  91,  92 

Demands  of  union  mine  workers  and  their  reasons  therefor .  92-94 

Demands  of  nonunion  mine  workers  and  their  reasons  therefor . 94-96 

Answers  of  anthracite  coal  mine  operators: 

Delaware  and  Hudson  Company .  96-102 

Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company .  102-108 

Pennsylvania  Coal  Company .  108-114 

Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Company .  114 

Scranton  Coal  Company  and  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron  Company -  114-118 

Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company .  118-122 

Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company .  122-124 

Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company .  124-128 


CONTENTS. 


5 


Appendix  A — Concluded. 

Answers  of  anthracite  coal  mine  operators — Concluded.  Page. 

Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company .  128-140 

Wages  of  employees .  135, 136 

Value  of  property  owned  by  employees .  136 

Churches  and  schools . . .  136, 137 

Riots,  assaults,  and  other  overt  acts  on  part  of  strikers .  137-140 

G.  B.  Markle  &  Co .  141-164 

Extracts  from  report  of  meeting  at  Jeddo  Schoolhouse .  161-163 

Extract  from  report  of  Pennsylvania  bureau  of  mines .  163 

Earnings  of  contract  miners .  163 

Form  of  lease  of  company  houses . . . 163, 164 

Form  of  contract  with  employees,  with  arbitration  clause .  164 

Independent  coal  Operators  of  Lackawanna  and  Wyoming  region. .  165-171 
Appendix  B:  Earnings  of  contract  miners  and  of  employees  paid  by  day, 

week,  or  month . 175-186 

Methods  of  payment  and  explanation  of  wage  statements .  175-177 

Average  annual  and  daily  earnings  of  contract  miners  working  throughout 
the  year  1901,  and  days  miners  worked,  for  each  colliery: 

.  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company .  177 

Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company .  177 

Annual  and  average  daily  earnings  of  contract  miners,  and  days  miners 
worked,  classified  by  annual  earnings: 

Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company .  173 

Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company .  178 

Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company .  179 

Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company .  179 

Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Company .  130 

Scranton  Coal  Company .  130 

Average  annual  earnings,  average  days  worked,  and  average  daily  rates  of 
pay  of  company  employees,  by  occupations : 

Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company .  181 

Temple  Iron  Company .  181, 182 

Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company .  182 

Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Company .  183 

Pennsylvania  Coal  Company . 134 

Delaware  and  Hudson  Company . 184-186 

Appendix  C:  Breaker  starts,  hours  per  day  in  operation,  and  equivalent  in 

ten-hour  days,  for  each  company  and  colliery .  189-191 

Appendix  D:  Sizes  of  mine  cars .  165,  196 

Appendix  E:  Cost  of  leading  articles  of  food  in  anthracite  coal  region  of 

Pennsylvania,  1898  to  1902 .  169,  200 

Appendix  F:  Constitution  of  National  Union,  United  Mine  Workers  of 

America . - . -  -  -  -  203-214 

Appendix  G :  Replies  of  presidents  of  coal  companies  to  letter  of  J ohn  Mitchell 

of  February  14,  1902,  requesting  a  joint  conference .  217-223 

Appendix  H:  Proposed  plan  for  an  organization  for  the  execution  of  trade 

agreements . - .  22/ -239 

Documents  relating  to  collective  bargaining  and  trade  agreements .  229-239 

Extract  from  paper  by  Thomas  Armstrong,  president  Philadel¬ 
phia  Builders’  Exchange,  read  before  National  Association  of 
Builders .  . .  229-231 


6 


CONTENTS. 


Appendix  H — Concluded. 

Documents  relating  to  collective  bargaining,  etc. — Concluded.  Page‘ 

Extract  from  an  address  on  “Labor  issues  in  the  building  trades,”  by 
William  H.  Say  ward,  secretary  of  the  National  Association  of 
Builders .  231-233 


Joint  conciliation  committees  recommended  by  the  National  Associa¬ 
tion  of  Builders .  234,  235 

Trade  agreements  between  American  Newspaper  Publishers’  Associa¬ 
tion  and  International  Typographical  Union: 

Letter  of  M.  J.  Lowenstein,  secretary  of  special  committee  of 

American  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association .  235-237 

Letter  of  S.  E.  Morss,  president  American  Newspaper  Publishers’ 

Association .  237,238 

List  of  employers  making  trade  agreements  with  trade  unions .  239 

Appendix  I:  Proposed  bill  providing  for  compulsory  investigation  and  pub¬ 
licity . * .  243-251 

Investigation  and  publicity  as  opposed  to  “Compulsory  arbitration” 

(paper  read  by  Charles  Francis  Adams) .  243-251 

Text  of  proposed  bill .  250,  251 

Appendix  J :  Anthracite  coal-carrying  companies  and  the  affiliated  coal-mining 
companies . — .  255-257 


MESSAGE 


FROM  THE 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

TRANSMITTING 

THE  REPORT  OF  THE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION 

AND  APPENDICES  THERETO. 


March  18,  1903. — Read  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 


To  the  Senate: 

I  transmit  herewith  the  report  to  the  President  on  the  anthracite 
coal  strike  of  Mav-October,  1902,  by  the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike 
Commission  appointed  October  16,  1902,  at  the  request  of  both  the 
operators  and  the  miners,  “to  inquire  into,  consider,  and  pass  upon 
the  questions  in  controversy  in  connection  with  the  strike  in  the 
anthracite  region”  of  Pennsylvania,  “and  the  causes  out  of  which 
the  controversy  arose.” 

Theodore  Roosevelt. 


White  House,  March  18,  1903 . 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMISSION. 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMISSION. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  APPOINTMENT  OF  THE  COMMISSION. 

Washington,  D.  C.,  March  18,  1903. 

To  the  President: 

The  undersigned,  constituting  the  Commission  appointed  by  you 
October  16,  1902,  “at  the  request  of  both  the  operators  and  of  the 
miners,”  “to  inquire  into,  consider,  and  pass  upon  the  questions  in 
controversy  in  connection  with  the  strike  in  the  anthracite  regions  ” 
of  Pennsylvania  “and  the  causes  out  of  which  the  controversy  arose,” 
have  the  honor  to  make  to  you  and,  through  you,  to  the  parties  to  the 
submission  the  following  report,  findings,  and  award: 

The  authority  of  the  Commission  thus  appointed  to  make  a  binding 
award  is  found  in  the  letter  of  certain  of  the  said  anthracite  coal  oper¬ 
ators  addressed  to  the  public  a  few  days  prior  to  the  said  16th  of 
October,  1902;  in  your  telegram  of  that  date  to  Mr.  John  Mitchell, 
pursuant  to  said  letter,  and  in  his  reply,  with  the  subsequent  action  of 
the  employees  of  the  various  coal  companies  engaged  in  operating  mines 
in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  of  Pennsylvania,  as  represented  in  a  con¬ 
vention  held  at  Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  October  21,  1902,  certified  to  you 
by  the  officers  of  said  convention. 

In  this  respect  the  pertinent  parts  of  the  correspondence  aforesaid 
are  as  follows: 

EXTRACT  FROM  COAL  OPERATORS’  LETTER  RELATIVE  TO  SUBMISSION. 

We  suggest  a  Commission  be  appointed  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States  (if  he  is  willing  to  perform  that  public  service)  to  whom 
shall  be  referred  all  questions  at  issue  between  the  respective  com¬ 
panies  and  their  own  employees,  whether  they  belong  to  a  union  or 
not,  and  the  decision  of  that  Commission  shall  be  accepted  by  us. 

The  Commission  to  be  constituted  as  follows  : 

1.  An  officer  of  the  engineer  corps  of  either  the  military  or  naval 
service  of  the  United  States. 

2.  An  expert  mining  engineer,  experienced  in  the  mining  of  coal 
and  other  minerals  and  not  in  any  way  connected  with  coal  mining 
properties,  either  anthracite  or  bituminous. 

3.  One  of  the  judges  of  the  United  States  courts  of  the  eastern  dis¬ 
trict  of  Pennsylvania. 

4.  A  man  of  prominence  eminent  as  a  sociologist. 

5.  A  man  who  by  active  participation  in  mining  and  selling  coal  is 
familiar  with  the  physical  and  commercial  features  of  the  business. 

11 


12  REPORT  OE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


It  being  the  understanding  that  immediately  upon  the  constitution 
of  such  Commission,  in  order  that  idleness  and  nonproduction  may 
cease  instantly,  the  miners  will  return  to  work,  and  cease  all  interfer¬ 
ence  with  or  persecution  of  any  nonunion  men  who  are  working  or 
shall  hereafter  work.  The  findings  of  this  Commission  shall  fix  the 
date  when  the  same  shall  be  effective,  and  shall  govern  the  conditions 
of  employment  between  the  respective  companies  and  their  own  em¬ 
ployees  for  a  term  of  at  least  3  years. 

Geo.  F.  Baer, 

President  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company , 

Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company , 

Temple  Iron  Company. 

E.  B.  Thomas, 

Chairman  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company , 
Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 

W.  H.  Truesdale, 
President  Delaware ,  Lackawanna  and 

Western  Railroad  Company. 

T.  P.  Fowler, 

President  Scranton  Coal  Company , 
Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 

R.  M.  Olyphant, 

President  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company. 

Alfred  Walter, 

President  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company. 


TELEGRAM  OF  THE  PRESIDENT  TO  JOHN  MITCHELL. 

White  House, 
Washington ,  October  16 ,  1902 . 

Mr.  John  Mitchell, 

President  United  Mine  Workers  of  America ,  Wilkesbarre ,  Pa. : 

1  have  appointed  as  commissioners  Brig.  Gen.  John  M.  Wilson,  Mr. 
E.  W.  Parker,  Judge  George  Gray,  Mr.  E.  E.  Clark,  Mr.  Thomas  H. 
Watkins,  and  Bishop  John  L.  Spalding,  with  Hon.  Carroll  D.  Wright 
as  recorder.  These  names  are  accepted  by  the  operators,  and  1  now 
most  earnestly  ask  and  urge  that  the  miners  likewise  accept  this  Com¬ 
mission.  It  is  a  matter  of  vital  concern  to  all  our  people,  and  especially 
to  those  in  our  great  cities  who  are  least  well  off,  that  the  mining  of 
coal  should  be  resumed  without  a  day’s  unnecessary  delay. 

Theodore  Roosevelt. 


EXTRACT  FROM  LETTER  OF  JOHN  MITCHELL  TO  THE  PRESIDENT. 

Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  October  16,  1902. 

Hon.  Theodore  Roosevelt, 

President  of  the  United  States , 

Washingtcm,  D.  C. 

Dear  Sir: 

******* 

Replying  thereto  [to  the  above  telegram],  I  beg  to  inform  you  that 
your  recommendations  were  submitted  to  the  members  of  the  executive 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  13 

boards  of  districts  1,  7,  and  9,  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  and 
they  have  unanimously  agreed  to  call  a  delegate  convention,  to  be  held 
next  Monday,  and  will  recommend  to  the  convention  that  all  men  now 
on  strike  return  to  the  positions  and  working  places  formerly  occupied 
by  them,  and  submit  to  the  Commission  appointed  by  you  all  ques¬ 
tions  at  issue  between  the  operators  and  mine  workers  of  the  anthracite 
coal  fields. 

******  * 

John  Mitchell, 

President  United  Mine  Workers  of  America . 


ACTION  OF  THE  MINE  WORKERS’  REPRESENTATIVES  IN  CONVEN. 

TION,  AGREEING  TO  THE  SUBMISSION,  AS  CERTIFIED  BY  TiIF 

OFFICERS  OF  SAID  CONVENTION. 

Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  October  2j ,  1902. 

Hon.  Theodore  Roosevelt, 

President  of  the  United  States , 

Washington ,  D.  C. 

Dear  Sir:  We,  the  representatives  of  the  employees  of  the  various 
coal  companies  engaged  in  operating  mines  in  the  antnracite  coal  fields 
of  Pennsylvania,  in  convention  assembled,  having  under  consideration 
your  telegram  of  October  16, 1902,  addressed  to  John  Mitchell,  presi¬ 
dent  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  have  decided  to  accept  the 
proposition  therein  embodied  and  submit  all  the  questions  at  issue 
between  the  operators  and  mine  workers  of  the  anthracite  coal  region 
for  adjustment  to  the  Commission  which  you  have  named.  In  pur¬ 
suance  of  that  decision  we  shall  report  for  work  on  Thursday  morning, 
October  23,  in  the  positions  and  working  places  occupied  by  us  prior 
to  the  inauguration  of  the  strike.  VV e  have  authorized  John  Mitchell, 
president  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  with  such  assist¬ 
ants  as  he  may  select,  to  repLesent  us  in  all  hearings  before  the 
Commission. 

John  Mitchell, 

Chairman  of  Convention. 

W.  B.  Wilson, 
Secretary  of  Convention. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  Commission  is  authorized  by  two  par¬ 
ties  to  a  controversy  to  make,  as  to  them,  a  binding  award.  The  lan¬ 
guage  of  the  proposition  made  by  the  operators  is  that  “  a  Commission 
be  appointed  by  the  President  *  *  *  to  whom  shall  be  referred 

all  questions  at  issue  between  the  respective  companies  and  their  own 
employees,  whether  they  belong  to  a  union  or  not,  and  the  decision  of 
that  Commission  shall  be  accepted  by  us,”  and  that  of  the  acceptance 
by  the  representative  convention  of  mine  workers  being  that  the}^ 
“  accept  the  proposition  [for  a  commission  as  proposed  by  the  opera¬ 
tors]  *  *  *  and  submit  all  the  questions  at  issue  between  the 

operators  and  mine  workers  of  the  anthracite  coal  region  for  adjust¬ 
ment  to  the  Commission  which  you  have  named.” 

The  signatory  operators  and  their  employees  represented  in  the 


14  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

Wilkesbarre  convention  were  therefore  in  substantial  agreement  as  to 
the  fact  and  the  scope  of  the  submission  proposed. 

Mr.  Carroll  D.  Wright  having  been,  with  the  consent  of  both  sides, 
added  to  the  Commission,  the  undersigned  received  from  you  the  fol¬ 
lowing  letter: 

PRESIDENT’S  APPOINTMENT  OF  THE  COMMISSION. 

White  House, 
Washington ,  October  23,  1902. 

To  the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike  Commission. 

Gentlemen:  At  the  request  both  of  the  operators  and  of  the  miners, 
1  have  appointed  you  a  Commission  to  inquire  into,  consider,  and  pass 
upon  the  questions  in  controversy  in  connection  with  the  strike  in  the 
anthracite  region,  and  the  causes  out  of  which  the  controversy  arose. 
By  the  action  you  recommend,  which  the  parties  in  interest  have  in 
advance  consented  to  abide  by,  you  will  endeavor  to  establish  the  rela¬ 
tions  between  the  employers  and  the  wage  workers  in  the  anthracite 
fields  on  a  just  and  permanent  basis,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  to  do  away 
with  any  causes  for  the  recurrence  of  such  difficulties  as  those  which 
you  have  been  called  in  to  settle.  I  submit  to  you  herewith  the  pub¬ 
lished  statement  of  the  operators,  following  which  I  named  you  as  the 
members  of  the  Commission. 

Theodore  Roosevelt. 

By  virtue  of  the  authority  conferred  in  the  premises,  the  Commis¬ 
sion  met  in  Washington  October  24,  organized  by  choosing  a  chair¬ 
man,  and  directed  the  recorder  to  notify  the  signatory  operators, 
parties  to  the  submission,  and  John  Mitchell,  as  chairman  of  the 
Wilkesbarre  convention,  to  appear  before  the  Commission  in  Wash¬ 
ington  October  27,  1902.  Pursuant  to  this  notice,  all  the  signatory 
operators  appeared  by  counsel,  and  the  mine  workers  represented  in 
the  said  Wilkesbarre  convention  by  John  Mitchell  and  others  associ¬ 
ated  with  him.  After  hearing  the  suggestions  of  counsel  as  to  the 
mode  of  procedure,  it  was  decided  to  adjourn,  to  meet  in  the  city  of 
Scranton  on  the  14th  of  November,  that  in  the  meantime  there  might 
be  filed  with  the  Commission  statements  of  claim  by  the  representa¬ 
tives  of  the  mine  workers  and  answers  thereto  by  the  signatoiy  operat¬ 
ors,  and  that  other  preparation  might  be  made  for  hearing  the  parties 
to  the  controversy. 

It  was  also  determined,  in  order  to  enable  the  members  of  the  Com¬ 
mission  to  familiarize  themselves  to  some  extent  with  the  physical 
conditions  of  the  anthracite  region,  and  the  practical  operation  of 
mining  coal,  that  they  would,  before  beginning  the  hearings,  make 
a  tour  of  the  said  region,  visiting  such  of  the  mines  as  should  be 
indicated  by  a  joint  committee  representing  the  operators  and  the 
miners,  and  observing,  so  far  as  they  might  have  opportunity,  the 
general  conditions  under  which  the  miners  worked  and  lived.  Seven 
da}Ts  were  accordingly  devoted  to  such  investigation.  The  Commission 
was  thus  enabled  to  learn  much  that  has  proved  invaluable  in  the  sub- 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


15 


sequent  hearings  and  deliberations.  Every  facility  was  furnished  by 
the  operators  for  a  thorough  examination  of  the  mines,  breakers,  and 
the  various  machinery  for  pumping,  ventilating,  and  carrying  on  gen¬ 
erally  the  mining  operations. 

Prior  to  the  opening  of  the  hearings  in  Scranton,  the  Commission 
caused  letters  to  be  sent  in  its  name  to  all  the  coal  companies  and  indi¬ 
vidual  operators  of  the  anthracite  region  of  Pennsylvania  not  alread}^ 
parties  to  the  submission,  inviting  them  severally  to  become  parties, 
by  intervention  and  agreement  to  be  bound  by  the  award  to  be  made, 
and  by  filing  written  notice  to  that  effect  with  the  recorder  of  the 
Commission. 


LIST  OF  INDEPENDENT  OPERATORS. 

The  following  list  comprises  all  the  independent  operators,  so  called, 
known  to  the  Commission,  and  to  whom  the  letter  cited  above  was 
sent: 


M.  B.  Williams. 

T.  M.  Righter. 

Llewellyn  Coal  Company. 

Mount  Jessup  Coal  Company. 
Moosic  Coal  Company. 

Dolph  Coal  Company. 

Riverside  Coal  Company. 

Carney  &  Brown. 

Black  Diamond  Coal  Company 
Barton  Coal  Company. 

Austin  Coal  Company. 

Green  Ridge  Coal  Company. 

Wm.  Connell  &  Co. 

Jermyn  &  Co. 

Elliott,  McClure  &  Co. 

A.  D.  &  F.  M.  Spencer. 

Nay- Aug  Coal  Company. 

Bull’s  Head  Coal  Company. 

North  American  Coal  Company. 
Gibbons  Coal  Company. 

People’s  Coal  Company. 

Clear  Spring  Coal  Company. 

W.  G.  Payne  &  Co. 

Kingston  Coal  Company. 

Red  Ash  Coal  Company. 

Parrish  Coal  Company. 

Chauncey  Coal  Company. 

A.  Pardee  &  Co. 

Union  Coal  Company. 

W.  R.  McTurk  &  Co. 

Stevens  Coal  Company. 

Melville  Coal  Company. 

Avoca  Coal  Company. 

Raub  Coal  Company. 

Wyoming  Coal  and  Land  Company. 
Plymouth  Coal  Company. 

Alden  Coal  Company. 


G.  B.  Markle  &  Co. 

Estate  of  A.  S.  Van  Wickle. 

Pardee  Bros.  &  Co. 

Calvin  Pardee  &  Co. 

Upper  Lehigh  Coal  Company. 

M.  S.  Kemmerer. 

J.  S.  Wentz  &  Co. 

Lentz,  Lilly  &  Co. 

Silver  Brook  Coal  Company. 

Mill  Creek  Coal  Company. 

Thomas  Coal  Company. 

Lawrence  Coal  Company. 

Cambridge  Coal  Company. 

Brookwood  Coal  Company. 

C.  M.  Dodson  &  Co. 

Midvalley  Coal  Company. 

Enterprise  Coal  Company. 

Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company. 
Dodson  Coal  Company. 

Bedell  Brothers. 

Lytle  Coal  Company. 

T.  M.  Dodson  &  Co. 

Buck  Run  Coal  Company. 

Excelsior  Coal  Company. 

Robertson  &  Law. 

Geo.  Graeber. 

AVilliain  Penn  Coal  Company. 

Thos.  R.  Brooks. 

St.  Clair  Coal  Company. 

East  Ridge  Coal  Company. 

Pine  Hill  Coal  Company. 

Susquehanna  Coal  Company. 

Shipman  Coal  Company. 

Girard  Coal  Company. 

Traders’  Coal  Company. 

I.  A.  Stearns. 

Warrior  Run  Coal  Company. 


16  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


From  time  to  time  during  the  progress  of  the  hearings  interventions 
were  made  by  the  parties  as  named  above,  and  they  were  added  to  the 
original  signatory  companies  proposing  the  submission.  The  follow¬ 
ing  independent  or  individual  operators,  some  of  whom  filed  answers 
and  all  of  whom  agreed  to  abide  by  the  award  of  the  Commission, 
were  represented  by  counsel: 


Dolph  Coal  Company. 

Black  Diamond  Coal  Company. 
Green  Ridge  Coal  Company. 

Nay- Aug  Coal  Company. 

Carney  &  Brown. 

Wm.  Connell  &  Co. 

Elliott,  McClure  &  Co. 

Wyoming  Coal  and  Land  Company. 
Geo.  F.  Lee  &  Co. 

Gardner  Creek  Coal  Company. 
William  Richmond. 

Riverside  Coal  Company. 

North  End  Coal  Company. 

West  End  Coal  Company. 

Robertson  &  Law. 

Gibbons  Coal  Company. 

Rissinger  Bros.  &  Co. 

Jermyn  &  Co. 

Austin  Coal  Company. 

A.  D.  &  F.  M.  Spencer. 

Stevens  Coal  Company. 


Clear  Spring  Coal  Company. 

Raub  Coal  Company. 

East  Boston  Coal  Company. 

Buck  Run  Coal  Company. 

Northern  Anthracite  Coal  Company. 
Peoples  Coal  Company. 

Pine  Hill  Coal  Company. 

Enterprise  Coal  Company. 

Parrish  Coal  Company. 

Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company. 
G.  B.  Markle  &  Co. 

A.  Pardee  &  Co. 

Pardee  Bros.  &  Co. 

Calvin  Pardee  &  Co. 

J.  S.  Wentz  &  Co. 

C.  M.  Dodson  &  Co. 

Upper  Lehigh  Coal  Company. 

Silver  Brook  Coal  Company. 

St.  Clair  Coal  Company. 

Estate  of  A.  S.  Van  Wickle. 

their  willingness  to  abide  by  the 


The  following  companies  stated 

award  of  the  Commission,  but  were  not  represented  before  it  by  coun¬ 
sel  or  otherwise: 


Susquehanna  Coal  Company.  Thomas  Coal  Company. 

Wm.  Penn  Coal  Company.  Coxe  Bros  &  Co. 

Mineral  Railroad  and  Mining  Company.  Mount  Jessup  Coal  Company. 

Summit  Branch  and  Lykens  Valley  Coal  Lytle  Coal  Company. 

Company.  Alden  Coal  Company. 

Union  Coal  Company. 

In  the  appendix  will  be  found  a  list  of  counsel  and  the  companies 
they  represent.  (°) 

Upon  the  opening  of  the  hearings  in  Scranton  an  application  to  be 
heard  before  the  Commission  was  presented  by  Messrs.  Lenahan  & 
O’Brien,  as  counsel  for  certain  nonunion  mine  workers.  This  appli¬ 
cation  was  duly  considered,  and  it  was  ordered  that  the  counsel  afore¬ 
said  file  their  authorit}r  for  their  appearance,  together  with  an  agree 
ment  to  be  bound  by  the  award  of  the  Commission.  In  compliance 
with  this  order,  a  power  of  attorney  executed  by  more  than  two  thou¬ 
sand  persons,  representing  themselves  to  be  nonunion  mine  workers, 
was  filed,  with  an  agreement  on  their  part  to  be  bound  by  the  award; 


a  See  pages  91,  92. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  17 

and  in  the  subsequent  proceedings  said  counsel  appeared  and  took 
part,  producing  testimon}^  and  participating  in  the  final  arguments. 

For  the  convenience  of  those  working  in  the  mines,  the  Commission 
heard  all  the  testimony  on  behalf  of  the  mine  workers,  including  part 
of  that  produced  by  the  nonunion  mine  workers,  in  the  city  of  Scran¬ 
ton,  and  then  adjourned  to  meet  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  where 
was  heard  the  final  testimony  of  the  nonunion  mine  workers  and  that 
adduced  by  the  operators,  and  the  rebutting  testimony  for  the  mine 
workers.  These  proceedings  were  concluded  Thursday,  February  5, 
and  adjournment  was  taken  till  Monday,  February  9,  to  enable  counsel 
to  prepare  arguments,  to  the  hearing  of  which  a  week  was  devoted. 

The  total  number  of  witnesses  examined  before  the  Commission  was 
558.  The  number  called  by  the  counsel  for  the  striking  anthracite 
mine  workers  was  240;  by  counsel  for  the  nonunion  men,  153;  by 
counsel  for  the  operators,  154,  and  by  the  Commission,  11.  The  rec¬ 
ord  of  testimony  makes  10,047  legal  cap  pages,  besides  a  vast  quantity 
of  exhibits,  statistics,  and  other  pertinent  matter. 

Arguments  on  behalf  of  the  striking  mine  workers  were  made  by 
Messrs.  McCarthy,  Lloyd,  Brumm,  and  Darrow;  on  behalf  of  the 
nonunion  men,  by  Mr.  Lenahan;  on  behalf  of  the  independent  opera¬ 
tors,  by  Messrs.  Reynolds,  Burns,  and  Dickson;  and  on  behalf  of  the 
signatory  operators,  by  Messrs.  Torrey,  Warren,  Gowen,  Wolverton, 
and  Baer,  Mr.  Baer  closing  for  the  operators  and  Mr.  Darrow  for  the 
miners.  Briefs* were  also  filed  by  Messrs.  Alfred  Hand  and  Andrew  H. 
McClintock,  and  a  printed  argument  by  Mr.  H.  T.  Newcomb. 

At  the  close  of  the  hearings  in  Philadelphia  the  Commission  adjourned 
to  Washington  for  consideration  of  the  testimony  and  for  the  delibera¬ 
tion  necessary  to  the  formation  of  its  findings  and  award.  Before 
entering  upon  a  review  of  the  deliberations  of  the  Commission,  it  seems 
wise  to  present  some  account  of  the  anthracite  regions,  the  cause  and 
course  of  the  strike,  and  other  matters  necessary  to  a  full  understand¬ 
ing  of  the  situation. 

ANTHRACITE  COAL  REGION  AND  ITS  PRODUCTION. 

There  is  probably  no  other  commodity  entering  into  human  con¬ 
sumption  which  possesses  so  much  the  character  of  a  natural  monopoly 
as  the  anthracite  coal  of  Pennsylvania.  The  only  other  known  deposits 
of  anthracite  coal  of  economic  value  in  the  United  States  are  in  Colorado 
and  New  Mexico,  but  these  are  all  comparatively  insignificant,  yield¬ 
ing  less  than  100,000  tons  annually.  Practically,  therefore,  the  entire 
source  of  supply  of  this  fuel  is  confined  to  an  area  of  496  square  miles, 
in  nine  counties  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  Of  these  nine  counties, 
five,  i.  e.,  Lackawanna,  Luzerne,  Schuylkill,  Northumberland,  and  Car¬ 
bon,  produce  ninety-six  per  cent  of  the  total  output.  The  four  less 


S.  Doc.  6 - 2 


18  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


important  producing  counties  are  Susquehanna,  Dauphin,  Columbia, 
and  Sullivan. 

The  output  of  anthracite  coal  in  1901  amounted  to  60,242,560  long 
tons,  with  a  value  at  the  mines  of  $112,504,020.  As  an  indication  of 
the  comparative  importance  of  this  industry  it  may  be  stated  that  the 
value  of  this  product  exceeded  that  of  any  other  nonmetallic  product 
of  the  United  States  in  1901,  with  the  exception  of  bituminous  coal, 
and  exceeded  the  value  of  any  metallic  product,  with  the  exception  of 
pig  iron.  It  amounted  to  considerably  more  than  ten  per  cent  of  the 
entire  value  of  the  mineral  output  of  the  United  States  in  1901. 

The  official  records  of  anthracite  coal  production  date  from  1820,  in 
which  year  365  tons  were  mined  and  shipped  from  the  Lehigh  region, 
but  for  more  than  fifty  years  previous  to  this  date  anthracite  coal  had 
been  known  to  exist  and  had  been  mined  to  a  small  extent,  principally 
for  local  consumption.  The  discovery  of  anthracite  was  made  in  1762 
by  Connecticut  pioneers  in  the  Wyoming  Valley,  but  so  far  as  known, 
none  of  it  was  used  nor  was  any  attempt  made  to  use  it  until  1768, 
when  a  small  amount  was  consumed  for  domestic  purposes.  In  the 
following  year  a  successful  attempt  to  utilize  anthracite  in  a  smithing 
forge  was  made  by  Obadiah  Gore. 

,  ,,The  regular  use  of  the  new  fuel  (commonly  called  44 black  stones”  by 
the  pioneers)  may  be  said  to  have  begun  at  about  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Revolutionary  war,;  as  in  1775  some  coal  was  mined  on  the  banks  of 
the  Susquehanna  River  near  where  Pittston  now  stands,  and  from  1776 
to  1780  coal,  was  mined  near  Wilkesbarre  and  shipped  to  Carlisle.  Its 
first  use  for  metallurgical  purposes  is  recorded  as  having  occurred  in 
1778,  when  nails  were  made  with  anthracite  coal  by  Judge  Jesse  Fell, 
of  Wilkesbarre.  From  this  until  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth  cen¬ 


tury  further  discoveries  were  made  throughout  the  region  and  attempts 
were  made  to  ship  the  coal  to  Philadelphia,  but  much  difficulty  was 
encountered  in  convincing  the  conservative  inhabitants  of  that  city 
that  the  “  black  stones  ”  were  capable  of  combustion  and  of  producing 
heat.  The  firm  of  Abijah  Smith  &  Co.,  of  Plymouth,  in  the  Wyoming 
Valley,  is  given  credit  for  the  first  commercial  venture  in  the  mining 
and  marketing  of  anthracite  coal.  This  firm  in  1807  mined  55  tons 
of  anthracite,  which  was  shipped  to  other  points  and  marketed.  The 
following  yeafi  the  same  firm  shipped  several  ark  loads  by  the  Susque¬ 
hanna  River  to  the  town  of  Columbia. 

In  1812  the  new  fuel  was  Successfully  Used  in  an  iron  furnace  in 
Philadelphia,  and  a  small  quantity  was  shipped  to  New  York and  sold  at 
$15  a  ton.  A  number  of  mines  were  opened  in  the  different  regions  in 
the  next  five  years,  and  in  1818  the  Lehigh  Navigation  Company  'and 
the  Lehigh  Coal  Company  were  organized  and  were  shortly  afterwards 
merged  into  what  is  still  known  as  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation 
Company.  The  first  year  that  thW!lcfompany  shipped  coal  was  in 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION 


19 


1820,  fifty-eight  years  after  the  discovery  in  the  Wyoming  Valley,  and 
amounted  in  that  year,  as  previously  stated,  to  365  tons.  The  follow¬ 
ing  year  the  shipments  rose  to  1,073  tons.  In  1822  the  Schuylkill 
region  was  opened  and  the  production  from  these  two  fields  rapidly 
increased  until  1829,  when  the  Wyoming  region  began  shipping.  The 
development  of  this  industry  since  these  early  years  of  struggle  is 
shown  in  the  following  table: 


ANNUAL  SHIPMENTS  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  FROM  THE  SCHUYLKILL,  LEHIGH,  AND 
WYOMING  REGIONS  FROM  1820  TO  1901,  INCLUSIVE. 


Year. 


1820 . 

1821 . 

1822 . 

1823  . 

1824  . 

1825  . *. . 

1826  . 

1827  . 

1828  . 

1829  . 

1830  . 

1831  . 

1832  . . 

1833  . 

1834  . . 

1835  . . 

1836  . 

1837  . 

1838  . . 

1839  . 

1840  . 

1841  . 

1842  . 

1843  . 

1844  . 

1845  . 

1846  . 

1847  . 

1848  . 

1849  . 

1850  . 

1851  . 

1852  . 

1853  . 

1854  . 

1855  . 

1856  . 

1857  . 

1858  . 

1859  . 

1860 .  i -  O  y  r  t  ■  -  — 

1861... . 

lo-  f 

-  •  •  rgeeq-iii  (f  *i« 


Schuylkill  region. 

Quantity. 

Per 

cent. 

Long  tons. 

o 


1865 

ispf  mix-  • 

1867. . 

l|68i  ;/v.(.)Gg  2-R  W- ,  -  -  T-- 

*£203  HT4J  -i-i  Bttiid  - - 
1871 . . . 

4  *  •  -84ld  -  -  -K  j  J 

1873 .  ,y _ f _ _ 

-i :  .6,866)877 

1875  .  6,281,712 

1876  .  6,221,934 

1877  .  8,195,042 


•  £,282,226 

1879 .  8,960,829 


: . 7)564,742. 


1881 

1882 


1,480 
1,128 
1,567 
6,500 
16,  767 
31, 360 
47, 284 
79, 973 
89, 984 
81,  854 
209, 271 
252, 971 
226,  692 
339, 508 
432, 045 
530, 152 
446,875 
475, 077 
490, 596 
624, 466 
683, 273 
710, 200 
887,937 
1,131,724 
1, 308, 500 
1,665,  735 
1, 733, 721 
1,  728, 500 
1, 840,  620 
2, 328, 525 
2, 636, 835 
2, 665, 110 
3, 191,  670 
3, 552,  943 
3, 603, 029 
3, 373, 797 
3,273,245 
3, 448, 708 
3, 749,  632 
3, 160,747 
3,372,583 
3,911,683 
4, 161, 970 
4, 356, 959 
5, 787,  902 
5, 161,  671 


7, 212,  601 


5,330,737  88.52 

5,775,138  41.66 

4,968,157  30.70 

6,552,772  41.74 

'6,  694,890  ;  34.  03 
33. 97 
34.09 
31. 87 
33.63 
39.35 
36.68 
34. 28 
32.23 
32.46 
32. 48 


39.  79 
16.23 
14. 10 
18.  60 

34.90 

49. 44 
61.00 
71.35 
51.50 

46.29 
57.61 
51.87 
60.19 
60. 54 

63.16 
60.98 
60. 49 
58. 05 
56.  75 
65. 07 
52.  62 

56.21 

54.45 

56.22 
55.82 

57. 79 
56.12 

53.30 

54.80 
52.34 

52. 81 

51.30 

53.14 

53.77 

52. 91 

50. 77 

47.86 

44. 16 
44.04 
39.74 

42. 86 

40.  90 
40.  89 

45. 14 
45. 56 
39.  74 


Lehigh  region. 


Quantity. 


9, 253, 958 
9, 459, 288 


Long  tons. 

365 
1,073 
2, 240 
6,823 
9,541 
28,  393 
31,280 
32, 074 
30, 232 
25, 110 
41,750 
40, 966 
70, 000 
123, 001 
106, 244 
131, 250 
148, 211 
223,  902 
213, 615 
221, 025 
225,  313 
143, 037 
272, 540 
267,  793 
377, 002 
429, 453 
517, 116 
633, 507 
670, 321 
781, 556 
690, 456 
964, 224 
1,072, 136 
1,054,309 
1, 207, 186 
1,284,113 
1,351,970 
1,318,541 
1, 380, 030 
1, 628,  311 
1,821,674 
1,738,377 
.1,351,054 
1,894,713 
2, 054, 669 
2, 040, 913 
{  2, 179>  364 
2, 502, 054 
.  2,502,582 
1, 949,  673 
3,239,374 
2, 235,  707 
3,873,339 
3, 705, 596 
3, 773:  836, 
2, 834,  605 
3,854.919  . 
4, 332,  760 
3,237,449 
4, 595, 567 
4,463,221 
5,294, 676 
5, 689, 437 


Per 

cent. 


60. 21 
83. 77 
85.  90 

81.40 

65.10 

50. 56 
39.00 

22.40 

23.90 

23.17 

19.  27 
25.22 
28.  21 

23.41 
21.66 
25.  75 
28. 92 
27.  01 
26. 07 

14. 90 
24.  59 

21.19 

23.12 
21.33 
22.07 
21.98 

21.70 

24.10 

20. 56 
21.68 
21.47 

20.  29 

20. 13 
19.  43 
19.52 

19. 84 

20. 18 
20. 86 
21.40 

21.85 
17.17 

19. 80 

20. 19 

21.14 

17. 15 
19.  27 
18.13 
14!  06 
20. 02 
14. 24 

19.70 
17.46 
18,  73 
14. 38 
20.84 

20. 80  ’ 
,  18.40 

17.58 
19.05 

18. 58 
19.54 


Wyoming  region. 


Quantity. 


Long  tons. 


7,000 
43, 000 
54,000 
84,000 
111,  777 
43, 700 
90,000 
103, 861 
115, 387 
78,  207 
122, 300 
148, 470 
192, 270 
252, 599 
285,  605 
365, 911 
451,836 
518, 389 
583, 067 
685, 196 
732,  910 
827, 823 
1, 156, 167 
1,284,500 
1,475, 732 
1,603, 478 
1,771,511 
1,972,581 
1, 952, 603 
2, 186, 094 
2,  731, 236 
2,941,817 
3, 055, 140 
3, 145,  770 
3, 759, 610 
3, 960,836 
3, 254, 519 
4,736,616 
5,325,000 
5,968,146 
6,141,369 
7, 974,  660 
6,911,242 
9, 101,549 
10, 309, 755 
9, 504, 408 
10, 596, 155 
8,424,158 
8,300,377 
.  8,085,587 
12, 586, 293 
11,419,279 
13,951,383 
13, 971, 371 


Per 

cent. 


6.25 

24.60 
30.54 
23.12 

22. 91 

11.60 
16.05 

15. 18 

13. 27 
10.  59 
14.  94 

17.18 
20. 03 
22.  79 
22.60 
22. 43 
22.45 
22.11 
20. 23 

22.18 
22.  60 

24.  64 

25. 98 

25.  72 

28. 41 
26.73 

26.  80 
28. 47 
29. 39 

31.96 

34.98 

34.56 

38.41 

39.97 
39.  30 

38.  92 

33.72 
37.29 

40. 99 
43.25 

44. 28 
■49. 28 
44.  02 
46.27 

48.57 
47.18 
53. 75 
45. 53 

39.  85 

45.92 
48. 14 

48.72 
48. 96 

47.98 


Total. 

Quantity. 


Long  tons. 

365 
1,073 
3, 720 
6, 951 
11,108 
34, 893 
48, 047 
63,434 
77,516 
112, 083 
174, 734 
176, 820 
363, 271 
487, 749 
376, 636 
560, 758 
684, 117 
869, 441 
738, 697 
818, 402 
864,379 
959,773 
1,108,412 
1,263, 598 
1,630,850 
2,013,013 
2, 344, 005 
2,882,309 
3, 089, 238 
3, 242, 966 
3,  358, 899 
4,448,916 
4, 993, 471 
5, 195, 151 
6, 002,  334 
6, 608, 667 
6, 927, 580 
6, 644,  941 
6, 839, 369 
7, 808,255 
8, 513, 123 
7, 954, 264 
7, 869, 407 
9, 566, 006 
10, 177,475 
9, 652, 391 
12,703,882 
12, 988, 725 
13,801,465 
13, 866, 180 
16, 182, 191 
15, 699,721 
19,669,778 
21,227,952 
20, 145, 121 
19, 712, 472 
18,501,011 
20,  828, 179 
17, 605, 262 
26, 142,  689 
23,437,242 
28, 500,  017 
29, 120, 096 


20  REPORT  OE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

ANNUAL  SHIPMENTS  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  FROM  THE  SCHUYLKILL,  LEHIGH,  AND 
WYOMING  REGIONS  FROM  1820  TO  1901,  INCLUSIVE— Concluded. 


Schuylkill  region. 

Lehigh  region. 

Wyoming  region. 

Total. 

Year. 

Quantity. 

Per 

cent. 

Quantity. 

Per 

cent. 

Quantity. 

Per 

cent. 

Quantity. 

Long  tons. 

Long  tons. 

Long  tons. 

Long  tons. 

1883 . 

10,074, 726 

31.69 

6, 113, 809 

19. 23 

15, 604, 492 

49. 08 

31, 793, 027 

1884 . 

9;  478;  314 

30.85 

5, 562, 226 

18.11 

a  15, 677, 753 

51.04 

30, 718, 293 

1885 . 

9;  488, 426 

30. 01 

5, 898, 634 

18. 65 

a  16, 236, 470 

51.34 

31, 623,  530 

1886 . 

9, 381,407 

29. 19 

5, 723, 129 

17. 89 

a  17, 031, 826 

52.  82 

32, 136, 362 

1887 . 

10, 609, 028 

30. 63 

4, 347, 061 

12. 55 

a  19, 684, 929 

56.82 

34,  641, 018 

1888 . 

10;  654, 116 

27.93 

5,  639, 236 

14. 78 

a21,852, 366 

57.29 

38, 145,  718 

1889 . 

10, 486, 185 

29. 28 

6, 294, 073 

17.57 

a  19, 036, 835 

53. 15 

35, 817, 093 

1890 . 

10, 867, 822 

29.68 

6, 329,  658 

17.28 

a  19, 417,  979 

53.04 

36,  615, 459 

1891 . 

12, 741, 258 

31.50 

6,381,838 

15.  78 

21,325,240 

52.72 

40, 448, 336 

1892 . 

12, 626, 784 

30.14 

6,451,076 

15. 40 

22, 815, 480 

54.  46 

41,  893,  340 

1893 . 

12;  357;  444 

28. 68 

6, 892, 352 

15.  99 

23, 839, 741 

55.33 

43,  089, 537 

1894 . 

12;  035;  005 

29.  08 

6, 705, 434 

16.20 

22,  650,  761 

54. 72 

41,391,200 

1895 . 

14, 269, 932 

30.  68 

7, 298, 124 

15.69 

24,  943, 421 

56.63 

46,511,477 

1896 . 

13,097,571 

30. 34 

6, 490, 441 

15. 03 

23, 589, 473 

54. 63 

43, 177, 485 

1897 . 

12, 181,061 

29.26 

6, 249, 540 

15. 00 

23, 207, 263 

55. 74 

41,  637, 864 

1898 . 

12, 078, 875 

28.83 

6, 253, 109 

14. 92 

23, 567, 767 

56.25 

41, 899, 751 

1899 . 

14, 199,  009 

29.79 

6, 887,  909 

14.45 

26,  578, 286 

55.76 

47, 665, 204 

1900 . 1 . 

13;  502, 732 

29.94 

6, 918, 627 

15.33 

24,  686, 125 

54. 73 

45, 107, 484 

1901 . 

16, 019, 591 

29.92 

7,211,974 

# 

13.45 

30, 337, 036 

56. 63 

53, 568, 601 

Total . 

409, 472,  958 

33.  41 

208, 568, 818 

17.02 

607, 539, 493 

49. 57 

1,225,581,269 

a  Includes  Loyalsock  field. 


As  seen,  the  Lehigh  region,  which  was  the  first  opened,  became 
second  in  importance  in  1828,  and  the  Wyoming  region,  the  last  to 
be  developed,  took  first  place  in  1867,  retaining  its  supremacy  to  the 
present  time.  In  the  eighty-two  years  of  recorded  shipments  the 
Wyoming  region  has  produced  nearly  50  per  cent,  the  Schuylkill 
region  a  little  over  33  per  cent,  and  the  Lehigh  region  about  17  per  cent 
of  the  total  output.  The  total  shipments  in  these  eighty-two  years  have 
amounted  to  1,225,581,269  long  tons.  Adding  to  this  the  estimated 
local  and  colliery  consumption  of  about  10  per  cent  of  the  shipments, 
the  total  production  has  amounted  to  about  1,350,000,000  long  tons. 

Although  the  value  of  anthracite  coal  as  a  fuel  was  demonstrated  in 
the  first  quarter  of  the  last  century,  and  although  in  1836  the  Franklin 
Institute,  of  Philadelphia,  offered  a  prize  to  anyone  who  should  first  pro¬ 
duce  twenty  tons  of  pig  iron  by  use  of  anthracite,  it  was  not  success¬ 
fully  employed  in  blast-furnace  practice  until  1838,  and  the  Franklin 
Institute  prize  was  not  awarded.  About  the  middle  of  the  last  cen¬ 
tury  anthracite  began  to  be  largely  used  for  the  manufacture  of  pig 
iron,  and  in  1855  exceeded  the  use  of  charcoal  for  that  purpose.  Its 
general  utilization  for  this  purpose,  however,  was  somewhat  short¬ 
lived.  The  use  of  coke,  a  product  from  bituminous  coal,  was  growing 
rapidly,  and  in  1875  anthracite  fell  behind  that  fuel  in  blast-furnace 
consumption.  Since  1875  its  decline  for  blast-furnace  use  has  been 
quite  rapid,  and  at  the  present  time  very  little  anthracite  coal  finds 
its  wa}r  into  pig-iron  manufacture. 

This  decline  has  had  a  material  effect  upon  the  anthracite  industry 
be}rond  of  the  mere  fact  of  the  loss  of  an  important  market.  The  coal 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


21 


formerly  sold  for  blast-furnace  use  was  lump  coal.  It  was,  therefore, 
a  profitable  product.  The  cutting  off  of  this  outlet  has  made  neces¬ 
sary  the  breaking  down  of  lump  coal  to  meet  the  requirements  for 
domestic  consumption,  resulting  in  the  production  of  a  larger  amount 
of  fine  coal,  much  of  which,  until  quite  recently,  has  been  considered 
waste  output,  and  which  is  still  sold  at  prices  far  below  the  cost 
of  production.  A  considerable  percentage  of  dust  and  culm  is  made, 
for  which  no  market  has  yet  been  secured.  The  general  conditions 
and  problems  affecting  the  present  marketing  of  anthracite  coal  are 
treated  in  another  portion  of  this  report,  and  need  not  be  considered 
in  detail  here.  What  is  of  some  importance,  however,  in  connection 
with  the  discussion  of  the  past  production  is  a  consideration  of  what  is 
to  be  expected  in  the  future  in  the  way  of  production  and  the  probable 
duration  of  the  anthracite  coal  suppty.  The  original  deposits  of  the 
anthracite  coal  field  have  been  ascertained  with  a  reasonable  degree  of 
accuracy. 

According  to  the  estimates  of  the  Pennsylvania  geological  survey, 
the  amount  of  workable  anthracite  coal  originally  in  the  ground  was 
19,500,000,000  tons.  The  production  to  the  close  of  1901,  as  previously 
stated,  amounted  to  1,350,000,000  long  tons,  which  would  indicate 
that  there  remained  still  available  a  total  of  18,150,000,000  tons.  Un¬ 
fortunately,  however,  for  every  ton  of  coal  mined  and  marketed  one  and 
one-half  tons,  approximately,  are  either  wasted  or  left  in  the  ground  as 
pillars  for  the  protection  of  the  workings,  so  that  the  actual  yield  of  the 
beds  is  only  about  forty  per  cent  of  the  contents.  Upon  this  basis  the 
exhaustion  to  date  has  amounted  to  3,375,000,000  tons.  Deducting 
this  from  the  original  deposits,  the  amount  of  anthracite  remaining 
in  the  ground  at  the  close  of  1901  is  found  to  be,  approximately, 
16,125,000,000.  Upon  the  basis  of  forty  per  cent  recovery,  this  would 
yield  6,450,000,000  long  tons.  The  total  production  in  1901  was 
60,242,560  long  tons.  If  this  rate  of  production  were  to  continue 
steadily,  the  fields  would  become  exhausted  in  just  about  one  hundred 
years. 

Mr.  William  Griffith,  in  a  series  of  articles  contribued  to  the  Bond 
Record  in  1896,  considers  that  the  estimates  upon  which  the  fore¬ 
going  computations  have  been  made  were  too  liberal.  His  estimate  of 
the  amount  of  minable  coal  remaining  at  the  close  of  1895  was 
5,073,786,750  tons.(a) 

In  the  six  years  from  1896  to  1901,  inclusive,  the  production  has 

a  Mr.  Griffith’s  estimate  includes  all  workable  coal  in  the  Northern  field,  having 
beds  4  feet  thick  and  yielding  3  feet  of  clean  coal.  In  the  other  fields  it  includes 
seams  3  feet  in  thickness,  capable  of  yielding  2\  feet  of  clean  coal.  It  excludes  the 
culm  piles,  mine  pillars,  etc.  The  acreage  of  each  bed  is  multiplied  by  the  thickness 
of  the  seams  in  feet  and  thus  reduced  to  foot-acres.  Each  foot-acre  was  estimated  to 
produce  650  tons  of  coal,  and  on  the  first  of  January,  1896,  the  unworked  areas  esti¬ 
mated  to  contain  7,805,826  foot-acres,  or  5,073,786,750  tons. 


22  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

been,  approximately,  308,570,000  tons,  which  would  leave  still  avail¬ 
able  for  mining  4,765,216,750  tons.  This  supply,  at  the  rate  of  produc¬ 
tion  in  1901,  would  last  a  little  less  than  eighty  years.  But  as  indicating 
how  susceptible  to  error  are  human  predictions,  it  is  well  to  state  that 
in  his  carefully  prepared  statement,  published  in  1896,  Mr.  Griffith 
assumes  the  limit  of  annual  production  would  be  reached  in  1906  and 
would  amount  in  that  year  to  60,000,000  tons. 

This  amount  of  production  was  reached  in  1901,  in  just  half  the 
time  predicted  by  Mr.  Griffith,  and  the  production  of  January,  1903, 
as  recently  reported,  shows  that  the  anthracite  mines  are  capable  of 
producing  at  a  rate  of  72,000,000  tons  annually  in  their  present  state 
of  development.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that  the  annual 
rate  of  anthracite  production  will  continue  practically  uniform  until 
the  mines  are  exhausted  and  then  suddenly  cease.  Portions  of  the 
fields  have  already  been  worked  out,  others  are  rapidly  approaching 
total  exhaustion,  while  others  at  the  present  rate  of  production  will, 
it  is  calculated,  last  from  seven  hundred  to  eight  hundred  years.  If 
we  can  assume  the  annual  production  will  have  reached  its  maximum 
limit  at  between  60,000,000  and  75,000,000  tons,  and  that  the  produc¬ 
tion  will  then  fall  off  gradually  as  it  increased,  we  may  expect  anthra¬ 
cite  mining  to  continue  for  a  period  of  from  two  hundred  to  two  hun¬ 
dred  and  fifty  years. 

This  estimate  is  based  upon  the  assumption  that  the  available  coal 
will  remain  at  about  forty  per  cent  of  the  reserves.  How  much  this 
may  be  increased  by  better  mining  methods  and  the  utilization  of 
former  waste  material,  it  is  impossible  to  say.  Already  a  large 
amount  of  fuel  is  being  recovered  from  the  old  culm  banks,  and  it 
seems  safe  to  predict  that  the  coal  saved  will,  in  the  near  future,  equal 
fifty  per  cent  of  the  contents  of  the  fields  worked.  However  we 
may  make  our  estimates  of  future  production,  it  is  apparent  that  the 
maximum  output  has  been  almost  if  not  quite  reached.  The  produc¬ 
tion  henceforth  will  be  from  lower  levels  and  thinner  seams  than 
those  previously  worked.  This  will  necessitate  greater  expense  in 
mining  and,  consequently,  higher  prices  for  the  fuel.  With  higher 
prices  will  necessarily  follow  more  economy  in  consumption,  greater 
restriction  of  the  market,  and  the  increased  competition  of  other  fuels. 
All  conditions  seem  to  combine  for  the  conservation  of  the  supply  of 
anthracite  coal. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  to  what  an  extent  the  production  is  now  con¬ 
trolled  by  the  large  corporations  engaged  in  the  business.  Mr.  Grif¬ 
fith,  in  his  contribution  to  the  Bond  Record,  states  that  the  railroads 
either  own  or  control  96.29  per  cent  of  the  anthracite  deposits,  nearly 
91  per  cent  being  actually  owned  by  the  transportation  companies.  (a) 

« See  pages  255  to  257  for  extract  from  a  report  of  United  States  Geological  Survey 
on  coal-operating  roads. 


REPORT  OE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


23 


MARKET  CONDITIONS. 


The  endeavor  to  control  this  natural  monopoly,  has  led  many  to 
miscalculate  the  anticipated  increase  in  value  of  anthracite  coal,  due 
to  said  increase  being  more  gradual  than  they  had  thought,  causing  in 
the  past  undue  competition,  unwarranted  development  of  the  mines, 
and  financial  disaster  to  many  of  the  interests  participating  in  this 
competition,  so  that  the  business  has  been  subject  to  violent  fluctuations. 
The  rivalry  between  railroads,  resulting  in  the  construction  of  lines 
into  the  region,  with  the  idea  of  securing  a  portion  of  this  attractive 
tonnage,  has  also  contributed  to  the  unsettled  manner  of  conducting 
the  business. 

These  causes  have  led  to  the  opening  of  new  mines  and  the  produc¬ 
tion  of  coal  beyond  the  market  demand.  This  seems  to  have  been 
particularly  the  case  during  the  six  years  fn  m  1893  to  1899.  The 
result  of  this  increased  capacity  to  produce  was  detrimental  to  all 
interests  engaged  in  the  business,  and  was  felt  especially  by  the  mine 
workers,  who  could  be  given  employment  only  from  160  to  175  days 
during  the  year.  The  gradual  concentration  of  anthracite  mining 
properties  in  the  hands  of  fewer  corporations,  and  the  gradual  increase 
in  consumption  of  the  product,  have  contributed  to  secure  more  uniform 
conditions  in  mining  and  the  management  of  the  business. 

The  consumption  of  anthracite  coal,  especially  of  the  “ domestic” 
sizes,  is  much  larger  during  the  winter  months  than  during  the 
remainder  of  the  year,  and  while  the  mining  operations  were  con¬ 
ducted  by  individual  operators  and  small  corporations,  with  limited 
capital,  the  mining  was  more  active  during  the  fall  and  winter  months, 
the  output  being  limited  during  the  spring  and' summer  months,  on 
account  of  inability  to  provide  storage  plants  at  the  far  distant  points 
of  consumption  to  which  coal  could  be  transported  by  water  while 
navigation  was  open. 

Anthracite  is  prepared  in  nine  sizes,  for  which  there  are  different 
uses.  “Lump”  coal  is  taken  as  it  comes  out  of  the  mine,  and  it  is 
marketed  for  use  either  in  iron  furnaces  or  locomotives.  The  demand 
for  this  size  is  limited,  and  the  remainder  of  the  coal  is  broken  by  rolls 
and  screened  into  sizes  known  as  “grate,”  “egg,”  “stove,”  “ chest¬ 
nut, ”  “pea,”  and  “No.  1,”  “No.  2,”  and  “No.  3  buckwheat.” 

“Grate”  is  used  in  house  furnaces  and  some  of  it  for  steam  purq 
poses,  but  it  is  known  as  one  of  the  “domestic”  sizes. 

“Egg”  is  used  principally  for  domestic  purposes  in  furnaces. 

“Stove”  and  “chestnut”  are  used  entirely  for  domestic  purposes 
in  stoves,  furnaces,  and  ranges. 

“Pea”  is  used  to  a  small  extent  for  domestic  purposes,  but  mostly 
for  steam. 

“Buckwheat  No.  1,”  “No.  2,”  and  “No.  3”  are  the  “small  sizes,” 


24  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

and  are  used  entirely  for  steam  purposes,  coming  directly  in  competi¬ 
tion  with  bituminous  coal. 

The  sizes  above  “pea”  are  known  as  “domestic,”  and  bring  higher 
prices  than  the  so-called  “steam”  sizes.  In  fact,  were  it  not  for  the 
ability  to  obtain  higher  prices  for  these  “domestic”  sizes  the  busi¬ 
ness  could  not  be  profitably  conducted,  as  the  “steam”  sizes  are  sold 
below  the  average  cost  of  production,  “buckwheat  No.  3”  realizing 
about  30  cents  per  ton  at  the  mine  to  the  operator,  “buckwheat  No. 
2”  about  40  cents  per  ton,  “buckwheat  No.  1”  about  85  cents  per 
ton,  and  “pea”  coal  about  $1.30. 

The  total  cost  of  all  sizes  for  the  mining  and  preparing  of  the  coal  at 
the  mine,  to  some  of  the  large  companies,  is  about  $2  per  ton,  while  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  product  is  sold  and  delivered  in  New  York 
Harbor  for  less  than  that  amount,  so  that  the  prices  realized  at  the 
mine  for  about  forty  per  cent  of  the  product  averages  not  over  $1  per 
ton.  This  loss  on  the  smaller  sizes,  if  the  business  is  to  be  profitable, 
must  be  recovered  from  the  “domestic”  sizes,  which  are.about  sixty  per 
cent  of  the  product,  so  that  in  speaking  of  the  cost,  which  is  based  on 
the  total  of  all  sizes,  one  must  bear  in  mind  the  above  facts  in  com¬ 
paring  that  cost  with  the  prices  obtained  by  the  operators  for  the 
“ domestic”  sizes. 

As  shown  by  the  figures  prepared  by  Mr.  Wm.  W.  Ruley,  the  total 
amount  of  anthracite  coal  transported  to  market  during  the  year  1901 
was  53,568,601  long  tons.  The  geographical  distribution  of  this  ton¬ 
nage  was  as  follows: 


GEOGRAPHICAL  DISTRIBUTION  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  MARKETED  IN  1901. 


Long  tons. 

Per  cent. 

Pennsylvania,  New  York,  and  New  Jersey . 

35, 234,  059 

3  199  940 

65. 77 
ik  qi 

New  England  States . 

Western  States . 

5,  963, 035 

2  142  744 

11  IQ 

Southern  States . 

4.00 

Pacific  coast . 

20  000 

Dominion  of  Canada . 

1,933, 283 
75  540 

3.61 

14 

Foreign  ports . . . 

Total . 

100  on 

UUj  uvo ,  uu  1 

The  same  authority  estimates  the  consumption  of  anthracite  coal 
along  the  eastern  seaboard,  north  of  and  including  Philadelphia,  during 


1901,  as  follows: 

Long  tons. 

Philadelphia .  4,  225,  000 

New  J ersey  coast .  l ,  000,  000 

New  York  City,  Brooklyn,  Long  Island,  and  Staten  Island .  9, 000,  000 

Miscellaneous  coast  points — Connecticut .  i?  000,  000 

Miscellaneous  coast  points — Rhode  Island .  600,  000 

Boston .  2,000^000 

Miscellaneous  coast  points — Massachusetts .  500,  000 

Miscellaneous  coast  points — New  Hampshire .  250,  000 

Miscellaneous  coast  points — Maine .  400,  000 


Total .  18,975,000 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  25 

This  tonnage  originates  along  the  lines  of,  and  is  transported  to  mar¬ 
ket  on,  the  following  railroads:  Philadelphia  and  Reading;  Central 
Railroad  of  New  Jersey;  Lehigh  Valley;  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western;  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company;  Erie;  New  York,  Susque¬ 
hanna  and  Western;  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western;  Pennsylvania; 
and  Delaware,  Susquehanna  and  Schuylkill. 

During  the  past  ten  years  there  has  been  considerable  change  in  the 
demand  for  coal  of  certain  sizes,  as  shown  by  the  following*  statement 
of  tonnage  shipped  in  1892  as  compared  with  1901: 


QUANTITY  OF  COAL  OF  VARIOUS  SIZES  SHIPPED  IN  1892  AND  1901. 


Size. 

1892. 

1901. 

Long  tons. 

Per  cent. 

Long  tons. 

Per  cent. 

Lump . 

3, 907, 296 

9.3 

2, 187, 553 

4.1 

Grate . 

4,  692, 137 
6, 078, 277 
9,681,988 
7, 508, 580 

11.2 

14.5 

23.1 

17.9 

4, 423, 584 
6, 989,  330 
10, 561, 957 
10, 250, 550 

8.3 

13.1 
19.7 

19.1 

Stove . 

Chestnut . 

Prepared  sizes . 

27, 960, 982 

66.7 

32,225,421 

60.2 

Pea . 

5, 258, 838 
3, 971,025 
795, 179 

12.6 

9.5 

1.9 

7, 565, 948 
7, 894,  613 
3,705,066 

14.1 

14.7 

6.9 

Buckwheat  No.  1 . 

Smaller  than  buckwheat  No.  1 _ 

Small  sizes . 

10, 025, 042 

24.0 

19, 155, 627 

35.7 

Total . 

41,893,320 

100.0 

53, 568,  601 

100.0 

■  ■  -  ■■  ■  - 

While  the  total  shipments  of  anthracite  in  1901  were  53,568,601  long- 
tons,  or  about  11,500,000  tons  more  than  in  1892,  only  about  4,000,000 
tons  of  this  increase  was  in  the  sizes  above  “pea”  coal.  Of  the  total 
shipments  of  anthracite  during  the  year  1901,  2,567,335  tons  were  not 
fresh-mined  coal,  but  were  taken  from  the  old  waste  banks  and  pre¬ 
pared  for  market  through  washeries  constructed  for  that  purpose,  * 
whereas  in  1892  only  90,495  tons  were  shipped  from  washeries. 

The  average  f.  o.  b.  prices  per  ton  received  for  the  different  sizes 
sold  at  New  York  Harbor  during  the  year  1901,  for  the  Wyoming 
region,  as  reported  by  Mr.  Ruley,  were: 


Grate .  $3.4472 

Egg . .  3.9778 

Stove .  4.3211 

Chestnut .  4.  3230 

Pea . .  2.5769 

Buckwheat  No.  1 .  2.1020 

Buckwheat  No.  2 .  i  4333 

Buckwheat  No.  3 .  ]  1575 


The  introduction  of  improved  methods  for  burning  the  small  sizes 
may  gradually  enable  the  operator  to  get  better  prices  for  them,  but 
the  price  must  always  be  controlled  or  affected  by  the  competition  of 
bituminous  coal.  In  preparing  the  coal  it  is  evident  that  it  is  to  the 
interest  of  the  operator  to  make  as  large  a  percentage  of  the  “  domes- 


26  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

tic”  sizes  as  practicable,  but  it  is  impossible  to. prevent  a  large  amount 
of  waste  by  breakage  in  preparation;  some  of  this,  however,  is  saved 
in  small  sizes,  which,  must  be  marketed  at  the  best  price  obtainable. 

The  demand  for  the  different  sizes  is  not  uniform  throughout  the 
year,  but  all  sizes  must  be  produced  if  any  size  is  wanted;  consequently 
storage  facilities  for  sizes  not  needed  immediately  must  be  provided, 
causing  another  investment  and  source  of  expense  in  storing  and  taking 
up  again.  In  order  to  operate  the  mines  more  steadily  throughout  the 
year  and  to  provide  for  the  increased  consumption  without  opening 
additional  mines,  it  became  necessary  for  the  larger  companies  engaged 
in  the  business  to  provide  storage  facilities  for  many  of  the  sizes  that 
are  not  generally  used  through  the  spring  and  summer  months. 
Anthracite  being  used  over  a  large  section  of  the  country,  these  stor¬ 
age  plants  have  been  gradually  installed  at  different  points.  These 
are  used  for  storing  coal  during  the  spring  and  summer  months, 
leaving  the  nearby  points  to  be  supplied  with  fresh-mined  coal  during 
the  winter.  These  storage  plants,  however,  do  not  take  care  of  all  the 
coal  that  could  be  mined,  and  the  method  has  been  adopted,  and  carried 
out  fairly  well  during  the  past  two  years,  of  giving  discounts  to  con¬ 
sumers  who  buy  their  coal  during  the  spring  and  early  summer  months. 
This  system  has  worked  with  general  satisfaction,  as  it  enables  the 
companies  to  have  the  advantage  of  the  consumers’  bins  for  storage 
purposes. 

There  has  been  a  decided  improvement  in  the  past  three  years  in 
the  conditions  controlling  the  anthracite  business;  among  others,  the 
general  prosperity  of  the  country  has  led  to  an  increased  consumption 
of  anthracite  more  nearly  approaching  the  capacity  to  produce,  con¬ 
sequently  removing  to  a  great  extent  the  strong  competition  on  the 
part  of  the  operators.  The  strike  of  1900  limited  the  production  of 
that  year,  causing  higher  prices  than  had  been  obtained  for  some 
years  previous.  The  operators  were  enabled  to  secure  about  the  same 
prices  during  the  period  between  the  1900  strike  and  the  long  strike 
of  1902,  which  again  reduced  the  shipments  of  coal  to  the  extent  of 
over  22,000,000  tons,  so  that  the  present  prices  which  the  operators 
are  able  to  obtain  are  due  to  this  unusual  reduction  of  output. 

Anthracite,  though  regarded  largely  as  a  necessity,  is  not  free  from 
competition,  and  unreasonably  high  prices  limit  the  use  of  it.  As 
has  been  said,  the  price  of  the  “ steam”  sizes,  which  are  about  forty 
per  cent  of  the  total  production,  is  influenced  by  and  controlled  through 
the  competition  of  bituminous  coal.  The  u domestic”  sizes,  at  reason¬ 
able  prices,  are  always  certain  of  a  fair  market,  but  when  the  price 
becomes  abnormally  high,  the  economy  practiced  in  its  use  and  the 
competition  of  gas  and  oil  ranges  and  stoves  are  directly  felt  and  limit 
consumption. 

Owing  to  its  gradual  exhaustion  and  the  consequent  greater  expense 
of  mining  the  poorer  veins,  and  the  increased  labor  cost  due  to  higher 


REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  27 

wages,  the  tendency  of  the  price  of  anthracite  coal  is  probably  upward. 
The  effect  of  higher  prices  will  undoubtedly  be  to  limit  consumption. 

We  were  impressed  with  many  important  features  regarding  the 
anthracite  industry  that  are  not  generally  known,  and  particularly  with 
the  capital  required  in  the  development  of  the  mines  and  the  produc¬ 
tion  of  the  coal,  as  well  as  with  the  great  waste  occurring  and  the  cost 
of  handling  the  output  under  present  conditions  in  the  preparation  of 
the  marketable  sizes.  Sinking  shafts,  fitting  them  with  hoisting 
machinery,  driving  gangways,  opening  chambers,  pumping  plants, 
which  must  be  run  continuously,  ventilating  machinery,  that  the  men 
may  work  with  safety  and  a  reasonable  degree  of  comfort,  grading 
roads,  planes,  and  slopes,  cost  of  mules  and  cars,  the  installation  of 
the  machinery  required  in  hauling  the  product  to  the  breaker,  where 
the  coal  is  finally  prepared  for  market — necessitate  a  large  investment 
of  capital.  The  breakers  also,  equipped  with  the  necessary  machinery, 
are  expensive.  They  are  usually  built  of  wood  and  require  constant 
repairs.  The  cost  of  opening  a  colliery,  with  its  equipment,  varies 
from  $200,000  to  $750,000,  which  must  be  returned  by  the  time  the 
coal  is  exhausted  or  the  investment  results  in  loss,  as  the  plants  are 
worthless  when  all  of  the  coal  has  been  mined. 

In  the  study  of  anthracite  conditions,  one  can  not  but  be  struck  by 
the  thought  that  a  commodity  so  valuable  and  indispensable,  lving 
within  a  small  area,  limited  in  quantity,  should  not  be  wastefully 
mined,  and  that  the  needs  of  future  generations  should  be  considered 
and  their  interests  conserved. 

HAZARDOUS  NATURE  OF  ANTHRACITE  MINING. 

In  considering  the  compensation  to  be  paid  for  any  class  of  labor, 
the  danger  to  life  and  limb  to  those  engaged  should  be  taken  into 
account.  All  kinds  of  mining  work  involve  risk  of  accident  consider¬ 
ably  in  excess  of  the  average  in  manual  labor.  Coal  mining  is  more 
hazardous  than  any  other  class  of  underground  work,  for  in  addition 
to  the  usual  dangers  from  falling  rock  and  premature  blasts,  the  coal 
miner  runs  risk  of  fire,  explosion,  and  suffocation.  The  temporary 
shutting  off  of  the  supply  of  air  may  place  in  jeopardy  the  life  of  every 
worker  in  a  coal  mine.  The  flame  from  a  u  blown-out”  shot  may 
explode  a  mixture  of  gas,  or  dust  and  air,  and  result  in  the  death  or 
injury  of  many  men.  The  danger  of  tapping  a  gas  pocket  is  always 
present,  and  constant  vigilance  is  necessary  in  order  to  protect  the 
safety  of  the  coal  miner.  The  occupation  must  therefore  be  classed 
among  those  of  a  hazardous  nature,  the  fisheries,  certain  classes  of 
railway  employment,  and  powder  manufacture  being  among  the  few 
in  which  the  danger  exceeds  that  of  coal  mining. 

It  has  been  asserted  that  the  mining  of  anthracite  is  more  dangerous 
than  the  mining  of  bituminous  coal.  This  contention  is  evidently 
based  upon  a  comparison  of  anthracite  mining  with  favorable  bitu- 


28  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

ruinous  conditions.  In  the  accompanying  table  it  is  shown  that  the 
number  of  fatal  accidents  per  1,000  employees  in  the  anthracite  mines 
of  Pennsylvania  in  a  period  of  ten  years  has  exceeded  those  in  the 
bituminous  mines  of  the  same  State,  and  of  Illinois,  Indiana,  Iowa, 
Kansas,  Kentucky,  Maryland,  Missouri,  and  Ohio,  while  the  bitu¬ 
minous  mines  of  Colorado,  Indian  Territory,  New  Mexico,  Utah,  West 
Virginia,  and  Washington  show  death  rates  per  1,000  considerably  in 
excess  of  those  in  the  anthracite  mines.  It  does  not  seem,  therefore, 
that  the  average  hazard  in  anthracite  mining  is  greater  than  that  in 
bituminous  coal  mining.  The  table  in  which  these  statistics  are  pre¬ 
sented  shows  also  the  death  rate  per  1,000  in  a  number  of  other 
countries  for  the  years  for  which  statistics  are  obtainable.  Generally 
speaking,  the  accident  death  rates  in  the  United  States  do  not  make 
a  favorable  showing  for  this  country. 


FATAL  ACCIDENTS  PER  1,000  EMPLOYEES  IN  COAL  MINES  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  AND 

IN  FOREIGN  COUNTRIES  FROM  1891  TO  1900. 


1891. 

1892. 

1893. 

1894. 

1895. 

1896. 

1897. 

1898. 

1899. 

1900. 

Austria . 

a  2.54 

a  1.18 

a  1.11 

a  5. 13 

a  1.96 

a  1.20 

«0. 95 

«0. 90 

al.  08 

n0. 90 

Belgium . 

61.40 

62.84 

61.12 

61.62 

61.49 

61.14 

61.03 

61.40 

6.97 

61.05 

British  Columbia . 

c  4. 45 

C2.24 

c  5. 12 

cl.  25 

C3.42 

d  3. 27 

d  2. 49 

d  2. 46 

d  2.94 

d4. 15 

France . 

el.  67 

e.95 

e.93 

e.85 

el.  19 

el.  30 

el.  07 

el.  07 

el.  35 

el.  42 

German  Empire . 

/  2. 80 

/  2. 30 

/  2.60 

/2.12 

/2.  44 

/  2.  57 

/ 2.  27 

/  2.97 

d  2.21 

d  2. 19 

Great  Britain . 

d  g  1.50 

d  ^1.49 

dfirl.  55 

d  {71.60 

d\.  48 

dl.  48 

dl.32 

dl.28 

dl.24 

dl.  29 

India . 

d  2.  64 

d.  67 

dl.  51 

d  h .28 

d  h .  68 

dl.32 

d  h .  69 

New  South  Wales . 

d.  77 

d  1. 11 

d2. 54 

d  1.60 

d  2.38 

d .  95 

d2.  09 

New  Zealand . 

d  3. 16 

d  2.  78 

d  34. 07 

d2.  09 

d.  50 

dl.39 

dl.  63 

Nova  Scotia . 

c‘22.28 

el.  55 

c.34 

C2.41 

dl.  03 

d  1. 66 

dl.35 

d  2. 83 

dg.39 

d  3.32 

Colorado . 

c4. 40 

e4. 49 

c6.31 

c3.06 

c3.  05 

cl0.07 

c4.  99 

c3.  23 

c5.  60 

d  3.99 

Illinois . 

*1.82 

*1. 69 

*1.95 

*  2. 21 

*  2.  35 

*2. 33 

*  2.04 

*  2. 14 

*  2.  27 

d2. 39 

Indiana . 

c.  72 

e2. 50 

c2.96 

c2. 92 

c3.  94 

c2.  00 

c2.  63 

c2.07 

dl.82 

Indian  Territory . 

c3.95 

cL.  64 

c3. 26 

C6.34 

c4.  82 

c6.24 

d8.  84 

Iowa . *. . 

c2. 08 

e2. 58 

C2.77 

cl.  85 

cl.  82 

C2.62 

c2. 45 

c3.  38 

c2. 49 

d2. 22 

Kansas . 

c2.08 

cl.  52 

c2.58 

cl. 11 

cl.  36 

c.  71 

cl.  95 

cl.  57 

d2.60 

Kentucky . 

c2. 49 

el.  04 

cl.  41 

cl.  25 

Cl.  02 

c.  79 

cl.  55 

c.  67 

c.  83 

dl.59 

Maryland . 

el.  54 

cl.  52 

cl.  23 

cl.  69 

C2.30 

cl.  58 

cl.  17 

c.  89 

cl.  08 

Missouri . 

c2.  62 

c2.  48 

c2.  70 

C2.49 

cl.  84 

c2.  41 

cl.  22 

cl.  22 

cl.  80 

dl.28 

New  Mexico . 

C16.88 

c4.87 

c  5. 1 3 

c3.71 

c7.98 

d  7. 44 

Ohio . 

cl.  83 

cl. 56 

cl.  11 

cl.  43 

cl.  79 

cl.  44 

cl.  39 

cl.  77 

c2.03 

d2. 46 

Pennsylvania: 

Anthracite . 

i3.  08 

i3.  05 

i3. 25  i  3. 15 

i3.  64 

i  3. 35 

i  2.84 

i  2.8S 

3  2.  92 

3  2.8b 

Bituminous . 

3  3. 18 

il.69 

il.64  il.44 

il.83 

3  2. 14 

j  1.72 

i  2.26 

3  2.82 

32. 43 

Tennessee . 

fc3.95 

fc2.41 

k  2. 01 

k‘2. 16 

k  7.  23 

fc3.37 

fcl.42 

k  2. 43 

d  2.  60 

k  1. 09 

Utah . 

cS.  47 

c  1 . 49 

cl.  49 

c  4.  35 

c4. 17 

c4. 38 

dl38. 96 

Washington . 

cl8.  58 

c3. 18  c  14.  79 

c  12.  38 

c2.  98 

c2.48 

c2.  70 

C28.00 

d  7.79 

West  Virginia . 

<?3. 16 

c2. 76 

c  4. 20 

C2.98 

c3.97 

c2. 68 

c2.89 

c3. 86 

c3.55 

d5.03 

nOsterr  Stat.  Handbuch. 

6  Belgium:  Annuaire  Statistique  de  la  Belgique,  Tome  XXIV,  1893. 
c  Bulletin  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Labor,  No.  32. 
d Great  Britain:  Mines  and  Quarries,  General  Reports. 

e  France:  Minist&re  des  Travaux  Publics:  Stat.  de  L’lndustrie  Min£rale,  1891,  1892. ' 

/Bericht  fiber  die  Verwaltung  der  Knappschafts-Berufsgennossenschaft,  for  the  years  1891  to  1898. 
a  All  mines  under  the  coal  mines  regulation  act. 
h  List  of  accidents  incomplete. 
i  Illinois;  20th  Coal  Report,  1901. 
i  Pennsylvania:  Report  of  the  bureau  of  mines,  1901. 

k  Tennessee:  Annual  report  of  the  bureau  of  labor,  statistics,  and  mines,  1892,  1893,  and  1900. 


The  following  table,  taken  from  the  report  of  the  Bureau  of  Mines 
of  the  State  of  Pennsvlvania,  shows  that  while  the  death  rate  from 
accidents  in  1901  was  above  the  average  of  the  preceding  fifteen  years, 
the  general  tendency  has  been  toward  greater  safety.  The  table  cov¬ 
ers  a  period  of  thirty-two  y ears,  and  shows  that  while  the  number  of 
employees  in  1901  was  four  times  the  number  employed  in  1870,  and 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION, 


29 


that  while  the  production  was  in  the  later  year  nearly  five  times  that 
of  the  earlier,  the  number  of  fatal  accidents  was  only  two  and  one-half 
times  as  large.  The  number  of  long  tons  of  coal  mined  per  life  lost  in 
1901  was  double  that  of  1870.  A  subsequent  table  shows  the  statistics 
of  fatalities  separated  according  to  workers  inside  and  outside  the 
mines  from  1891  to  1901,  inclusive: 

FATAL  ACCIDENTS  PER  1,000  EMPLOYEES  IN  AND  ABOUT  THE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  MINES, 
AND  TONS  OF  COAL  MINED  FOR  EACH  FATAL  ACCIDENT,  FROM  1870  TO  1901,  INCLUSIVE. 


1870 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 
1881 
1882, 
1883, 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887, 

1888, 
1889, 

1890 

1891 

1892, 

1893. 
1894 
1895, 
1896 

1897. 

1898. 

1899. 

1900. 

1901. 


Employees. 

Fatal  ac¬ 
cidents. 

Fatal 
acci¬ 
dents  per 
1,000  em¬ 
ployees. 

Number  of 
long  tons 
of  coal 
produced. 

Number  of 
long  tons 
mined  for 
each  fatal 
accident. 

35, 600 

211 

5.929 

12, 653, 575 

59, 970 

37,488 

210 

5. 601 

13, 868, 087 

66,838 

44, 475 

166 

3. 709 

13,899, 976 

83, 734 

48, 199 

224 

4.  647 

18, 751,358 

83, 711 

53, 402 

231 

4. 325 

17, 794,857 

77,034 

69, 966 

238 

3. 401 

20, 895, 220 

87, 798 

65, 357 

226 

3. 458 

20, 529, 166 

90, 837 

66, 842 

199 

2. 977 

21, 574, 154 

108, 413 

63, 964 

187 

2.923 

20, 330, 945 

108, 720 

68, 847 

262 

3.807 

26,  725, 475 

102,005 

73, 373 

201 

2.739 

24,977,265 

124,265 

76, 021 

269 

3.538 

30, 537, 998 

113,524 

82, 344 

292 

3.546 

31,301,278 

107, 196 

90, 921 

323 

3. 552 

33, 703, 010 

104, 313 

101,398 

332 

3. 274 

32,561,374 

98, 076 

100, 311 

315 

3.T40 

33, 468, 911 

116, 250 

102, 878 

279 

2. 624 

34, 777,  618 

124, 650 

106, 547 

319 

2. 994* 

37,  644, 023 

118, 006 

117, 160 

364 

3.106 

41,638,427 

114, 391 

119, 500 

385 

3.  222 

38, 983, 952 

101, 257 

115, 190 

378 

3. 281 

40, 088, 356 

106, 054 

123, 277 

428 

3. 472 

44, 320, 950 

103, 553 

128,  763 

396 

3. 075 

45, 738, 373 

115,501 

138, 069 

449 

3.252 

47,219,562 

105, 166 

139, 544 

439 

3. 146 

45, 506, 179 

103, 659 

143, 288 

421 

3. 636 

50, 847, 102 

120,  777 

150, 080 

502 

3.345 

48, 074, 330 

95, 766 

149, 557 

424 

2.842 

46, 947, 350 

110, 725 

142, 546 

411 

2. 877 

47, 145, 175 

114, 708 

140, 583 

461 

2.  923 

54, 034, 224 

131,446 

143, 726 

411 

2.851 

51,217,318 

124,616 

147,  651 

513 

3. 474 

59, 905, 951 

116, 775 

TOTAL  ACCIDENTS  TO  EACH  CLASS  OF  MINE  WORKERS  IN  PENNSYLVANIA  ANTHRACITE 

COLLIERIES  DURING  1901. 


Occupations. 

Number 
of  em¬ 
ployees. 

Number 

killed. 

Number 
killed  per 
1,000  em¬ 
ployed. 

Inside  foremen,  or  mine  bosses . 

539 

5 

9.3 

Fire  bosses . . 

830 

2 

2.4 

Miners . 

37,804 
26, 268 
10, 894 
3,148 
18, 951 

224 

5.9 

Miners’  laborers . 

122 

4.6 

Drivers  and  runners . 

45 

4. 1 

Door  boys  and  helpers . 

6 

1.9 

All  other  employees . 

37 

1.9 

Total  inside . 

98, 434 

441 

4.5 

Superintendents,  bookkeepers,  and  clerks . 

804 

Outside  foremen . 

379 

Blacksmiths  and  carpenters . 

2,331 
4,615 
19, 564 
21, 524 

Engineers  and  firemen . 

5 

1.1 

Slate  pickers . 

9 

.46 

All  other  employees . 

64 

2.9 

• 

Total  outside . 

49, 217 

a  72 

1.5 

Total  inside  and  outside . 

147, 651 

a  513 

3.5 

“This  is  not  the  correct  total  of  the  items  shown;  the  figures  are  given  as  shown  in  the  original 
report. 


30  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION 


NUMBER  OF  EMPLOYEES  INSIDE  AND  OUTSIDE  THE  ANTHRACITE  MINES,  THE  NUMBER 
OF  FATAL  ACCIDENTS,  AND  THE  NUMBER  OF  FATAL  ACCIDENTS  PER  1,000  PERSONS 
EMPLOYED  FOR  THE  YEARS  1891-1901. 


Years. 

Number 
of  em¬ 
ployees 
inside  of 
mines. 

Number 
of  fatal 
accidents 
inside. 

Ratio  of 
lives  lost 
inside  per 
1,000  em¬ 
ployed. 

Number  of 
employees 
outside  of 
mines. 

Number 
of  fatal 
accidents 
outside. 

Ratio  of 
lives  lost 
outside  per 
1,000  em¬ 
ployed. 

1891 . 

76, 569 

372 

4. 8583 

46, 739 

56 

1. 1898 

1892  . 

81,953 

361 

4. 4049 

48, 212 

57 

1. 1791 

1893  . 

86, 387 

388 

4. 4914 

51,682 

68 

1. 3002 

1894  . 

87, 901 

368 

4. 1865 

52, 038 

78 

1. 5181 

1895  . 

89, 059 

354 

3. 9749 

54, 431 

67 

1. 2327 

1896  . 

94, 978 

430 

4. 5273 

55, 320 

72 

1. 3015 

1897  . 

95, 812 

372 

3. 8826 

53, 745 

51 

.9006 

1898  . 

91,171 

360 

3. 9597 

51, 242 

51 

.9952 

1899  . 

92, 223 

389 

4. 2180 

48,433 

72 

1.4866 

1900  . 

94, 140 

358 

4. 2548 

49, 676 

53 

1.0669 

1901 . 

98, 464 

441 

4. 4700 

49, 217 

72 

1.4600 

There  are,  unfortunately,  no  annual  statistics  of  fatalities  in  other 
employments  (except  railway  service)  in  the  United  States  with  which 
comparisons  can  be  made.  The  following  compilation  of  fatalities 
among  railway  employees  is  taken  from  the  reports  of  the  Interstate 
Commerce  Commission.  Statistics  compiled  by  the  labor  department 
of  the  British  board  of  trade  show  the  fatalities  per  1,000  employees 
engaged,  respectively,  in  mining,  quarrying,  factories,  railway  service, 
and  shipping.  The  last  named  only  present  a  higher  death  rate  than 
that  of  anthracite  coal  mining  in  Pennsylvania: 


TOTAL  ACCIDENTS  PER  THOUSAND  OF  RAILWAY  EMPLOYEES  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Computed  from  reports  of  the  Interstate  Commerce  Commission.] 


Year. 

Total  acci¬ 
dents 
per  1,000 
employees. 

1889„':.;.f.ji.l/.‘.'.... . . . 

2. 80 
3. 27 
3. 39 

3. 11 

3. 12 
2.34 
2. 31 
2.25 
2.06 
2.24 
2.38 
2.51 

1890 . 

1891 . 

1892 . 

1893 . 

1894 . 

1895 . 

.belli*! 

1896 . 

1897 

1898 . 

1899 . 

1900 . 

■  T  .. 

1 

m  ior 

811 ,8 
lee  ,8i 

. . . ] _ murium 

. aiaqtexl  hi 

. aoyyolti 

One  aioviiG 
i «  av.od  iooO 
[xia  lax! Jo  ILA. 

r» 

m  j  t  t:t  ,80 

. . . . . obiani  IxtloT 

108 

610 ,1 

406 ,61 

1  Lid ,  IS 

.  . aslioir)  brut  .atoqoojlifood  .siuahnelxihoquB 

. Kiolxxoqiao  ban  ariliaia>t:.).ftlU. 

. . .  xiorxxyift  bnn  ai9ynbxn?I 

.  . . . . .  2*It)3l9f<T 

. . . . . .  .jifjyYOHjijQi  lonio  1 1 A 

T.i 

ot . 

<5 

Q 

• 

c»r  p 

rrc.ei 

.  . : . ybxahxo  I.a4oT 

160  ,UI 

.  . obiafuo  brut  ybiarti  lidoT 

Ixxxxi-gho  o 

jxia  aii  aeT 

y'uj  ayixjgfl  yxll  jirwoila  amoli  ml)  lo  bi)oJ  Jyyncj  yxll  Joxx  ax  aidT** 

.iioqvi 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  31 

FATAL  ACCIDENTS  AND  DEATH  RATE  PER  1,000  EMPLOYEES  IN  VARIOUS  INDUSTRIES 

IN  GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND,  1897  TO  1901. 

[From  the  Labor  Gazette,  published  monthly  by  the  labor  department  of  the  British  Board  of  Trade.] 


Mining. 

Quarries 
over  20  feet 
deep. 

Factories. 

Railway 
•  service. 

Shipping. 

Total  for  pre¬ 
ceding  in¬ 
dustries. 

Year. 

Under¬ 

ground. 

Surface. 

Death 

Death 

Death 

Death 

Death 

Death 

Death 

Num- 

rate 

Num- 

rate 

Num- 

rate 

Num- 

rate 

Num- 

rate 

Num- 

rate 

Num- 

rate 

ber. 

per 

ber. 

per 

ber. 

per 

ber. 

per 

ber. 

per 

ber. 

per 

ber. 

per 

1,000. a 

1,000. a 

1,000. a 

1,000. a 

1,000. « 

1,000. « 

1,000. a 

1897  .. 

875 

1.51 

104 

0. 69 

123 

1.00 

513 

0.13 

539 

1.16 

1,642 

7. 10 

3,796 

0.  71 

1898  . . 

806 

1.37 

135 

.88 

134 

1.00 

575 

.15 

522 

.98 

1,598 

6.94 

3,770 

.68 

1899  . . 

851 

1.41 

121 

.75 

117 

1.19 

675 

.17 

555 

1.04 

1,839 

7.93 

4,158 

.75 

1900.. 

931 

1.54 

119 

.74 

127 

1.35 

802 

.20 

612 

1.15 

1,889 

8.02 

4, 480 

.81 

1901  .. 

974 

1.46 

152 

.88 

97 

1.03 

769 

.20 

539 

1.01 

1,722 

7. 31 

4;  253 

.75 

a  In  most  instances  the  total  number  of  persons  employed  in  the  industry  during  the  year  not  being 
obtainable  at  the  time  of  the  publication  of  the  report  in  the  Labor  Gazette,  the  latest  number 
reported  for  preceding  years  was  employed  in  determining  the  death  rate  per  1,000  employees. 
For  this  reason  the  death  rate  as  computed  in  this  table  does  not  in  many  cases  agree  with  the  one 
published  in  the  Labor  Gazette,  the  more  recent  figures  having  been  substituted  wherever  possible. 


HISTORY  AND  CAUSES  OF  THE  STRIKE  OF  1902. 


The  occasion  of  the  strike  of  1902  was  the  demand  of  the  United 
Mine  Workers  of  America  for  an  increase  in  wages,  a  decrease  in  time, 
and  the  payment  for  coal  by  weight  wherever  practicable  and  where 
then  paid  by  car.  The  cause  lies  deeper  than  the  occasion,  and  is  to 
be  found  in  the  desire  for  the  recognition  by  the  operators  of  the 
miners’  union.  The  great  strike  of  1900,  which  resulted  in  an  advance 
of  ten  per  cent  in  the  wages  paid  to  all  classes  of  mine  workers,  did  not 
leave  either  miners  or  operators  in  a  satisfied  state  of  mind,  for  both 
agree  that  since  the  settlement  of  1900  there  have  been  increased 
sensitiveness  and  irritation  in  the  mining  districts  as  compared  with 
the  previous  twenty-five  }^ears  or  more. 

Early  in  1901  (February  15)  Mr.  Mitchell,  the  president  of  the 
United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  approached  the  operators  with  the 
following  proposition,  sent  to  Mr.  Olyphant,  president  of  the  Dela¬ 
ware  and  Hudson  Company :  '  .‘/Irob  miolrnu  r.  bnn  flnoo  to  gnidgrow 

)  •  muLt  /I no  >!t ov/  biuo% ct o n j i fi«  odt  Inn  1  .lo 

n  ould  you  kindly  wire  it  your  company  will  participate  in  a  joint 

conference  with  anthracite  miners  during  the  month  of  March  for  the 
purpose  of  agreeing  upon  scale  of  wages  for  period  which  would  be 
mutually  agreeable  to  operators  and  miners?  ;;  ,, 

; 1 1  ^ e ^ ds' ^tllo/W^ U ^ ^  ’mbuioH  jioiljn oho  i  •»; vD 

lo  gfnsbrgoTq  odl  vIfero9Q89  bn/:  ,*7o.Jzrm<]o  [rqo  orii  *io  ni/jHoo  bnfr/ni 

I  understood  that  matter  of  wages  was  satisfactorily  adjusted  last 

October,  and  we  have  no  present  intention  of  departing  from  the 
arrangements  then  made.  I  therefore  see  no  object  ih  the  conference 
whibh  you  suggest,  even  if  that  method  of  procedure  were  desirable, 
which  seems  very  doubtful. 

►aeraiiJ8q9G  eatera  ban  m  lo  nitefftia  ni  Ilnl  nr  bnuol  ed  yjsra  giafctel  easrH 

February  26  Mr.  Mitchell  sent  a  letter  to  Mr.  Olyphant,  in  which 

he  stated  that  his  letter  was  4  ‘  for  the  purpose  of  inviting  your  com- 


32  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

pany  to  be  represented  at  a  joint  conference  of  mine  workers  and 
mine  owners  which  has  been  called  to  meet  at  Hazleton,  Pa.,  on  March 
15.”  March  6  Mr.  Olyphant  replied  to  Mr.  Mitchell,  declining  to  join 
in  the  conference,  closing  as  follows: 

So  far  as  concerns  conferences  with  its  own  employees  in  any  branch 
of  its  service  regarding  questions  of  mutual  concern,  I  may  again  say 
that  the  officers  of  the  company  are  and  will  be  at  all  times  ready  and 
willing  therefor. 

In  April,  1901,  the  operators  proposed  to  continue  the  advanced 
rate  of  wages  until  April,  1902.  February  14, 1902,  the  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America,  in  a  letter  dated  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  invited  the 
representatives  of  the  railroads  and  coal  companies  operating  in  the 
anthracite  districts  of  Pennsylvania  to  “  a  joint  conference  of  operators 
and  miners  on  March  12,  at  Scranton,  Pa.,  the  object  of  the  conference 
to  be  the  formation  of  a  wage  scale  for  the  year  beginning  April  1, 
1902,  and  ending  March  31,  1903.”  The  presidents  of  the  various 
companies  to  whom  this  letter  was  addressed  replied,  formally  declin¬ 
ing  the  conference.  (a) 

March  22,  1902,-  Mr.  Mitchell  sent  the  following  telegram  to  Mr. 
Baer:  \ 

By  direction  of  miners’  convention,  I  wire  to  ascertain  if  your  com¬ 
pany  will  join  other  anthracite  coal  companies  in  conference  with  com¬ 
mittee  representing  anthracite  mine  workers  for  purpose  of  discussing 
and  adjusting  grievances  which  affect  all  companies  and  all  employees 
alike.  Please  answer. 

On  the  24th  of  March  Mr.  Baer  answered  as  follows: 

Always  willing  to  meet  our  employees  to  discuss  and  adjust  any 
grievances.  I  had  hoped  that  my  letter  clearly  expressed  our  views. 

The  anthracite  mine  workers,  members  of  the  United  Mine  Workers 
of  America,  held  a  convention  at  Shamokin,  Pa.,  from  March  18  to  24, 
1902,  during  which  they  passed  resolutions  demanding  of  the  operators 
recognition  of  the  union,  an  increase  in  wages,  an  eight-hour  day,  the 
weighing  of  coal,  and  a  uniform  scale,  with  notice  that  after  the  1st 
of  April  the  miners  would  work  only  three  days  a  week  until  the 
operators  had  come  to  an  agreement  with  them,  and  they  appealed 
to  the  Civic  Federation  to  aid  them  in  securing  their  demands. 

In  response  to  an  invitation  from  the  Industrial  Department  of  the 
Civic  Federation,  Senator  Hanna,  the  chairman  of  the  Federation, 
invited  certain  of  the  coal  operators,  and  especially  the  presidents  of 
the  larger  coal  companies,  to  meet  the  officers  of  the  United  Mine 
Workers  and  the  Civic  Federation  to  discuss  the  subject  of  the  fore¬ 
going  demands.  The  coal  presidents  met  the  officers  of  the  Mine 

a  These  letters  may  be  found  in  full  in  Bulletin  of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Labor,  No.  43,  p.  1176  et  seq.,  and  are  reprinted  on  pages  217  to  223  of  this  Report. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  33 

*  % 

Workers  and  the  Civic  Federation  in  the  city  of  New  York,  when  Mr. 
Thomas,  of  the  Erie  Company,  submitted  the  following-  propositions, 
which  were  understood  to  be  the  basis  of  the  conference: 

First.  The  anthracite  companies  do  not  undertake  in  the  slight¬ 
est  manner  to  discriminate  against  members  of  the  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America,  but  they  do  insist  that  members  of  that  organi¬ 
zation  shall  not  discriminate  against  nor  decline  to  work  with  non¬ 
members  of  such  association. 

Second.  That  there  shall  be  no  deterioration  in  the  quantity  or 
quality  of  the  work,  and  that  there  shall  be  no  effort  to  restrict  the 
individual  exertions  of  men  who,  working  by  the  ton  or  car,  may  for 
reasons  satisfactory  to  themselves  and  their  employers  produce  such 
a  quantity  of  work  as  they  may  desire. 

Third.  By  reason  of  the  different  conditions,  varying  not  only  with 
the  districts  but  with  the  mines  themselves,  thus  rendering  absolutely 
impossible  anything  approaching  uniform  conditions,  each  mine  must 
arrange  either  individually  or  through  its  committees  with  the  super¬ 
intendents  or  managers  any  questions  affecting  wages  or  g’l'ievances. 

After  discussing  at  great  length  the  questions  relating  to  labor  in 
the  anthracite  coal  regions,  an  adjournment  was  taken  for  thirty  days. 
At  the  expiration  of  the  thirty  days  another  meeting  was  held  with 
the  Civic  Federation,  at  which  Mr.  Mitchell  and  the  district  presidents, 
together  with  a  large  committee  of  miners  were  present.  Another 
free  and  full  discussion  took  place,  without  reaching  conclusions. 

At  the  suggestion  of  the  Civic  Federation  a  committee  composed  of 
Mr.  Mitchell  and  the  anthracite  district  presidents,  and  Messrs. 
Thomas,  Truesdale  and  Baer,  representing  the  operators,  was 
appointed  to  consider  further  the  points  at  issue  and  report  to  the 
Civic  Federation,  at  a  date  to  be  fixed  by  its  chairman.  This  com¬ 
mittee  spent  two  full  days  in  discussion,  but  without  results.  The 
Federation  was  not  again  called  together.  Mr.  Mitchell,  however, 
convened  his  district  executive  committee,  and  on  the  8th  of  May  he 
sent  the  following  dispatch  to  Messrs.  Thomas,  Truesdale,  Baer, 
and  Olyphant: 

Scranton,  Pa.,  May  8 ,  190*2. 

Conscious  of  the  disastrous  effects  upon  mine  workers,  mine  opera¬ 
tors,  and  the  public  in  general  which  would  result  from  a  prolonged 
suspension  of  work  in  the  anthracite  coal  regions  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
with  earnest  desire  and  hope  of  avoiding  the  impending  calamity,  the 
representatives  of  the  anthracite  mine  workers  have  authorized  us  to 
submit  the  following  propositions: 

First.  Inasmuch  as  the  anthracite  mine  operators  have  proposed  to 
continue  the  present  wage  scale  for  one  year,  and  inasmuch  as  the 
anthracite  mine  workers  have  unanimously  resolved  to  ask  that  an 
increase  of  20  per  cent  should  be  paid  on  present  prices  to  all  men  per¬ 
forming  contract  work,  that  eight  hours  should  constitute  a  day’s 
labor  for  all  persons  employed  by  the  hour,  day,  or  week,  without  any 
reduction  in  their  present  wage  rate,  and  that  coal  should  be  weighed 
and  paid  for  Ivy  weight  wherever  practicable,  and  inasmuch  as  in  our 
S.  Doc.  6 - 3 


34  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

recent  conferences  the  anthracite  mine  workers  and  mine  operators 
have  failed  to  reach  an  agreement  upon  any  of  the  questions  at  issue, 
we  propose  that  the  industrial  branch  of  the  National  Civic  Federation 
select  a  committee  of  five  persons  to  arbitrate,  and  decide  all  or  any  of 
the  questions  in  dispute,  the  award  of  such  board  of  arbitration  to  be 
binding  upon  both  parties  and  effective  for  a  period  of  one  year. 

Second.  Should  the  above  proposition  be  unacceptable  to  you,  we 
propose  that  a  committee  composed  of  Archbishop  Ireland,  Bishop 
Potter,  and  one  other  person  whom  these  two  may  select,  be  author¬ 
ized  to  make  an  investigation  into  the  wages  and  conditions  of  employ¬ 
ment  existing  in  the  anthracite  field,  and  if  they  decide  that  the 
average  annual  wages  received  by  anthracite  mine  workers  are  suffi¬ 
cient  to  enable  them  to  live,  maintain  and  educate  their  families  in  a 
manner  conformable  to  established  American  standards  and  consistent 
with  American  citizenship,  we  agree  to  withdraw  our  claims  for  higher 
wages  and  more  equitable  conditions  of  employment,  providing  that 
the  anthracite  mine  operators  agree  to  comply  with  any  recommenda¬ 
tions  the  above  committee  may  make  affecting  the  earnings  and  condi¬ 
tions  of  labor  of  their  employees. 

An  immediate  reply  is  solicited. 

John  Mitchell,  Chairman . 

T.  D.  Nicholls,  Secretary. 

The  following  are  the  answers  to  the  foregoing  telegram: 

May  8,  1902. 

John  Mitchell: 

Not  only  from  our  standpoint,  but  from  yours  as  well,  the  matter 
has  had  such  full  and  careful  consideration  in  all  its  features  at  our 
several  interviews  last  week  as  leaves  little  to  be  discussed.  In  addi¬ 
tion,  my  letter  of  February  20  can  not  fail  to  make  it  clear  to  you  as  it 
is  to  us  that  the  subject  can  not  be  practically  handled  in  the  manner 
suggested  in  your  telegram. 

E.  B.  Thomas. 


May  8,  1902. 

John  Mitchell: 

Your  message  of  this  date  received.  You  fail  to  state  in  it  that  the 
notices  posted  by  this  company  not  only  agree  to  continue  paying  the 
10  per  cent  increase  granted  our  mine  employees  in  1900  until  April 
1,  1903,  and  thereafter  subject  to  sixt}7  days’  notice,  but  it  also  states 
our  mining  superintendents  will  take  up  and  adjust  any  grievances 
with  our  employees.  The  reasons  why  we  can  not  grant  your  demand 
have  been  most  fully  explained  in  our  recent  conferences  and  my  letter 
to  you  of  February  18  last.  In  view  of  all  these  facts  1  am  sure  you 
can  not  expect  us  to  concur  in  either  of  the  propositions  contained  in 
3rour  message  referred  to. 


W.  H.  Truesdale. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


35 


Philadelphia,  May  9,  1902. 

John  Mitchell: 

I  was  out  of  town;  therefore  the  delay  in  answering  your  dispatch. 

By  posted  notices,  the  present  rates  of  wages  were  continued  until 
April,  1903,  and  thereafter  subject  to  sixty  days’  notice.  Local  dif¬ 
ferences  to  be  adjusted  as  heretofore  with  our  employees  at  the 
respective  collieries.  By  wrritten  communications,  by  full  discussion 
before  the  Civic  Federation,  by  protracted  personal  conferences  with 
yourself  and  the  district  presidents,  we  have  fully  informed  you  of 
our  position.  We  gave  you  the  figures  showing  the  cost  of  mining 
and  marketing  coal,  and  the  sums  realized  therefrom  in  the  markets, 
in  the  hope  of  convincing  you  that  it  was  absolutely  impracticable  to 
increase  wages. 

To  your  suggestion  that  the  price  of  coal  should  be  increased  to  the 
public,  our  answer  was  that  this  was  not  only  undesirable,  but  in  view 
of  the  sharp  competition  of  bituminous  coal  it  was  impossible.  We 
offered  to  permit  you  or  your  experts  to  examine  our  books  to  verify 
our  statements.  Anthracite  mining  is  a  business,  and  not  a  religious, 
sentimental,  or  academic  proposition.  The  laws  organizing  the  com¬ 
panies  I  represent  in  express  terms  impose  the  business  management 
on  the  president  and  directors.  I  could  not  if  I  would  delegate  this 
business  management  to  even  so  highly  a  respectable  body  as  the  Civic 
Federation,  nor  can  I  call  to  my  aid  as  experts  in  the  mixed  problem 
of  business  and  philanthropy  the  eminent  prelates  you  have  named. 

Geo.  F.  Baer. 


New  York,  May  8 ,  1902. 

John  Mitchell,  Esq., 

President  United  Mine  Workers  of  Amer  ica,  Scranton ,  Pa. : 

Your  telegram  is  received.  The  concessions  made  by  the  mine  oper¬ 
ators  in  your  last  strike  added  to  the  wages  of  the  mine  workers  six 
millions  of  dollars  or  more  per  annum.  You  now  propose  changes 
adding  a  charge  of  many  millions  more  and  suggest  that  you  will  make 
a  further  demand  a  year  hence.  The  public  will  not  meet  such  advances 
by  submitting  to  an  increase  in  the  price  of  coal,  and  the  operators  can 
not  meet  them  without  such  aid.  I  must,  therefore,  decline  your 
proposition. 

R.  M.  Olyphant,  President. 


These  various  preliminary  discussions  having  failed  to  accomplish 
anything,  the  executive  committee  of  the  mine  workers  decided  to  order 
a  temporary  strike  and  to  submit  the  question  of  its  continuance  to  a 
ireneral  convention.  The  order  of  the  executive  committee  was  as 

o 

follows : 


To  the  United  Aline  Workers  of  the  Anthracite  District  of  Pennsyl- 


vama : 

The  executive  committee  of  the  Anthracite  Mine  Workers,  who 
were  delegated  by  the  Shamokin  convention  to  represent  you  in  the 
negotiations  with  the  mine  operators  and  railroad  presidents  to  obtain, 
if  possible,  higher  wages,  shorter  hours,  and  better  conditions  of 


36  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

employment,  after  exhausting  all  feasible,  conciliatory,  and  honorable 
means  at  their  command,  and  after  failing  to  secure  any  concessions  of 
a  tangible  nature,  and  while  under  the  resolutions  adopted  by  the 
Shamokin  convention,  authority  was  vested  in  the  executive  commit¬ 
tee,  should  they  fail  in  the  negotiations,  to  inaugurate  a  strike  at  what¬ 
ever  time  they  deemed  in  their  judgment  held  out  the  greatest  pros¬ 
pects  of  success,  the  committee,  after  three  days’  serious  deliberations, 
feel  that  in  justice  to  themselves  and  the  anthracite  mine  workers 
and  those  dependent  upon  them,  before  a  joint  strike  is  inaugurated, 
the  question  should  be  further  considered  by  a  delegate  convention  in 
which  representatives  from  the  local  unions  shall  be  fully  instructed 
by  their  constituents  and  prepared  to  vote  either  in  favor  of  or  in 
opposition  to  a  complete  cessation  of  work. 

In  the  meantime,  all  persons  employed  in  or  around  the  collieries, 
strippings,  washeries,  and  breakers  "are  instructed  to  temporarily 
abstain  from  working,  beginning  Monday,  May  12,  1902,  and  contin¬ 
uing  thereafter  until  after  a  final  decision  is  reached  by  a  delegate  con¬ 
vention,  which  will  convene  on  Wednesday,  May  14,  at  Hazleton,  Pa. 

The  basis  of  representation  in  the  convention  shall  be  1  vote  for 
each  100  miners  and  1  vote  for  each  additional  100  members  or  majoritv 
thereof. 

The  executive  committee  recommend  that  special  meetings  of  all 
locals  be  held  on  Monday,  May  12,  for  the  purpose  of  selecting  dele¬ 
gates  and  considering  the  question  involved,  and  it  is  specially  recom¬ 
mended  that  specific  instructions  be  given  delegates  as  to  how  they 
shall  vote  on  the  proposition  to  inaugurate  a  strike  or  to  continue  to 
work  under  the  present  conditions. 

The  instructions  for  all  men  to  suspend  work  on  Monday  do  not 
include  firemen,  engineers,  pump  runners,  or  other  laborers  necessary 
to  preserve  the  properties  of  the  operators. 

Under  this  order  work  was  suspended  May  12,  and  on  the  15th,  the 
convention,  having  assembled,  voted  to  continue  the  strike.  The  total 
vote  cast  was  811,  the  number  for  the  strike  being  461i,  and  the  num¬ 
ber  against  it  349f .  The  majority  for  the  strike  was,  therefore,  111-J-, 
the  number  voting  for  the  strike  being  fifty-seven  per  cent  of  the 
convention. 

When  the  strike  was  inaugurated  engineers,  firemen,  and  pumpmen 
were  not  involved,  but  at  a  meeting  of  the  three  anthracite  executive 
committees  of  the  United  Mine  Workers,  held  in  Wilkesbarre,  May 
21,  it  was  decided  to  call  out  the  engineers,  firemen,  and  pumpmen 
employed  about  the  mines,  the  order  to  this  end  providing  that 
“Presidents  of  local  unions  and  mine  committees  are  hereby  instructed 
to  wait  upon  mine  superintendents  and  notify  them  that  on  and  after 
Monday,  June  2,  all  engineers,  firemen,  and  pumpmen  are  expected 
to  work  onty  eight  hours  each  day,  and  are  to  receive  present  wages.” 
These  demands  not  having  been  granted,  June  2  the  majority  of  the 
engineers,  firemen,  and  pumpmen  stopped  work. 

In  obedience  to  these  orders,  nearly  the  entire  body  of  mine  workers, 
which  numbers  about  147,000,  abandoned  their  employment,  and  re- 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  37 

mained  idle  until  the  strike  was  called  off  through  the  action  of  the 
President  in  the  appointment  of  this  Commission.  The  strike  lasted 
from  May  12  to  October  23,  1902. 

LOSSES  FROM  THE  STRIKE. 

It  is  impossible  to  state  with  accuracy  the  losses  occasioned  by 
the  strike,  but  fair  estimates  may  be  given.  The  total  shipments 
of  anthracite  coal  in  1902,  according  to  a  statement  by  Mr.  Wm. 
W.  Ruley,  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Anthracite  Coal  Statistics,  were 
31,200,890  long  tons.  As  compared  with  1901,  when  the  shipments 
amounted  to  53,568,601  long  tons,  this  indicates  a  decrease  of  22,367,711 
long  tons,  or  over  40  per  cent.  If  the  same  decrease  is  assumed  for 
the  coal  mined  for  local  trade  and  consumption,  the  total  decrease  in 
production  in  1902  amounted  to  24,604,482  long  tons,  which  at  the 
price  received  in  1901  meant  a  decrease  in  the  receipts  of  the  coal¬ 
mining  companies,  for  their  product  at  the  mines,  of  $46,100,000. 
Assuming  the  average  wage  cost  to  be  about  $1.25  per  ton  on  market¬ 
able  coal,  and  allowing  for  the  wages  paid  to  engineers,  pumpmen, 
and  others  who  remained  at  work  during  the  strike,  the  mine  em¬ 
ployees  lost  in  wages  a  total  of  about  $25,000,000. 

It  may  also  be  mentioned  that,  according  to  reports  made  at  the 
recent  convention  of  mine  workers  in  Indianapolis,  there  were  ex¬ 
pended  about  $1,800,000  in  relief  funds. 

Assuming  that  60  per  cent  of  the  total  shipments  represents  the  sizes 
above  pea  coal,  the  decrease  in  the  shipments  of  these  larger  sizes  in 
1902,  as  compared  with  1901,  was  13,420,627  long  tons.  With  an 
average  price  at  New  York  Harbor  of  $4.09  per  ton,  and  with  35  per 
cent  of  the  receipts  charged  to  transportation  expenses,  the  decrease 
in  freights  paid  to  the  railroad  companies  on  these  larger  sizes,  if  it 
had  all  been  sent  to  New  York  Harbor,  would  have  been  about 
$19,000,000;  and  assuming  the  freight  rate  of  $1  per  ton  on  the 
smaller  sizes,  the  total  decrease  in  freight  receipts  on  the  transporta¬ 
tion  companies  would  have  been  about  $28,000,000. 

WORK  OF  THE  COMMISSION. 

In  studying  this  strike,  probably  the  greatest  on  record,  the  mem* 
bers  of  the  Commission  feel  that  they  speak  simple  truth  when  they 
say  that  they  have  done  whatever  it  was  practicable  to  do  to  acquaint 
themselves  with  the  business  intrusted  to  them. f  As  stated,  they  have 
gone  through  mines  and  inspected  the  various  conditions  which  the 
production  of  anthracite  coal  involves;  they  have  visited  the  breakers, 
the  engine  houses,  and  pumping  stations;  they  have  examined  the 
machinery  by  which  the  mines  are  protected  from  water  and  foul  air; 
they  have  talked  with  the  miners  at  their  work  and  in  their  homes, 


88  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


and  they  have  given  attention  to  the  economic,  domestic,  scholastic, 
and  religious  phases  of  their  lives;  they  have  listened  to  and  directed 
the  examination  and  cross-examination  of  558  witnesses;  they  have 
given  free  scope  to  the  counsel  who  represented  the  operators,  the  non¬ 
union  men,  and  the  miners,  and  they  have  devoted  an  entire  week  to 
hearing  their  arguments. 

In  reviewing  the  whole  case  they  have  been  impressed  with  the 
importance  of  the  issues  involved,  as  well  as  with  the  intricacy  and 
difficulty  of  many  of  the  problems  presented  to  them  for  solution,  and 
they  have  striven  diligently  to  get  a  clear  understanding  of  each  point 
upon  which  they  were  required  to  make  a  finding,  and  to  do  exact  jus¬ 
tice  as  nearly  as  possible  to  all  parties  concerned.  There  has  been 
practical  unanimity  among  them,  and,  though  differences  of  opinion 
have  from  time  to  time  arisen,  there  has  not  been  a  moment  during  the 
nearly  five  months  in  which  they  have  been  in  session,  when  there  was 
an  unpleasant  word,  or  any  indication  whatever  of  thought  or  desire 
of  aught  save  truth  and  justice.  It  has  been  their  constant  aim  to  keep 
themselves  from  bias,  that  they  might  see  things  as  they  are  and  weigh 
them  dispassionately.  The}7  are  fully  aware  that  in  so  complex  and 
involved  a  condition  as  that  by  which  they  were  confronted  it  would 
be  rash  to  imagine  that  they  have  been  able  to  get  an  adequate  view 
and  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  problem,  or  that  they  have  suc¬ 
ceeded  in  so  formulating  their  conclusions  as  to  make  misunderstand¬ 
ing  or  misinterpretation  impossible. 

All  through  their  investigations- and  deliberations  the  conviction  has 
grown  upon  them  that  if  they  could  evoke  and  confirm  a  more  genuine 
spirit  of  good  will— a  more  conciliatory  disposition  in  the  operators 
and  their  employees  in  their  relations  toward  one  another — they  would 
do  a  better  and  a  more  lasting  work  than  any  which  mere  rulings,  how¬ 
ever  wise  or  just,  may  accomplish.  Fairness,  forbearance,  and  good 
will  are  the  prerequisites  of  peace  and  harmonious  cooperation  in  all 
the  social  and  economic  relations  of  men.  The  interests  of  employers 
and  employees  are  reciprocal.  The  success  of  industrial  processes  is 
the  result  of  their  cooperation,  and  their  attitude  toward  one  another, 
therefore,  should  be  that  of  friends,  not  that  of  foes;  and  since  those 
who  depend  for  a  livelihood  on  the  labor  of  their  hands  bear  the 
heavier  burdens  and  have  less  opportunity  to  upbuild  their  higher 
being,  the  men  of  position  and  education,  for  whom  they  labor,  should 
lead  them  not  more  in  virtue  of  their  greater  ability  and  capital  than 
in  virtue  of  their  greater  loving-kindness. 

Where  production  is  controlled  despotically  by  capital  there  may  be 
a  seeming  prosperity,  but  the  qualities  which  give  sacredness  and 
worth  to  life  are  enfeebled  or  destroyed.  In  the  absence  of  a  trustful 
and  conciliatory  disposition  the  strife  between  capital  and  labor  can 
not  be  composed  by  laws  and  contrivances.  The  causes  from  which 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


39 


it  springs  are  as  deep  as  man’s  nature,  and  nothing  that  is  powerless 
to  illumine  the  mind  and  touch  the  heart  can  reach  the  fountain  head 
of  the  evil.  So  long  as  employers  and  employees  continue  to  look  on 
one  another  as  opponents  and  antagonists,  so  long  shall  their  relations 
be  unsatisfactory  and  strained,  requiring  but  a  slight  thing  to  provoke 
the  open  warfare  which  is  called  a  strike. 

It  is  in  this  spirit  the  Commission  has  made  its  investigation  and 
submits  its  report  and  award,  and  it  is  in  this  spirit  the  award  must 
be  received  by  all  the  parties  to  the  submission  if  it  is  to  have  the 
effect  desired  by  them  and  by  all  good  citizens. 

Naturally,  some  questions  have  been  presented  to  the  Commission 
that  are  incapable  of  final  solution,  owing  to  the  difficulties  which  are 
inherent  in  human  nature.  Nevertheless,  while  conscious  of  fallibility, 
the  members  indulge  the  hope  that  substantial  justice  will  have  been 
achieved  by  their  findings  and  award,  and  that  better  relations  between 
the  parties  concerned  will  hereafter  exist. 


DEMANDS  OF  THE  MINE  WORKERS. 

With  these  general  statements  and  facts  drawn  from  the  testimony 
and  from  various  official  and  other  sources,  we  now  proceed  to  the 
discussion  of  the  points  at  issue.  For  the  purpose  of  securing  an 
orderly  procedure,  the  Commission  ordered  that  the  mine  workers 
should  be  considered  as  the  pursuing  party,  and  they  accordingly 
opened  and  closed  the  case.  It  also  required  that  their  statement  of 
claims  should  be  specific  enough  to  give  fair  notice  to  the  other  side 
of  the  grievances  complained  of,  and  of  the  general  contentions  to  be 
urged  in  the  premises. 

The  statements  so  filed  on  behalf  of  the  mine  workers  disclosed  four 
general  demands,  accompanied  by  specific  arguments  in  support  of  the 
same.  All  the  original  parties  and  many  of  the  intervening  parties 
filed  answers  to  this  statement  of  claim,  and  the  pleadings,  consisting 
of  the  statement  of  claim  and  the  several  answers  thereto,  will  be 
found  in  full  in  the  appendix.  (a) 

The  demands  in  the  statement  of  claim  made  by  the  union  mine 
workers  are  as  follows: 

First.  An  increase  of  20  per  cent  upon  the  prices  paid  during  the 
year  1901  to  employees  performing  contract  or  piece  work. 

This  demand  is  made  on  account  of  the  following  reasons: 

(1)  The  present  rate  of  wages  is  much  lower  than  the  rate  of  wages 
paid  in  the  bituminous  coal  fields  for  substantially  similar  work. 

(2)  The  present  rate  of  wages  is  lower  than  is  paid  in  other  occupa¬ 
tions  requiring  equal  skill  and  training. 

(3)  The  average  annual  earnings  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  are 
much  less  than  the  average  annual  earnings  in  the  bituminous  coal 
fields  for  substantially  similar  work. 

(4)  The  average  annual  earnings  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  are 


«See  pages  92  to  171. 


40  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

much  less  than  the  average  annual  earnings  for  occupations  requiring 
equal  skill  and  training. 

(5)  The  rate  of  wages  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  is  insufficient  to 
compensate  the  mine  workers  in  view  of  the  dangerous  character  of  the 
occupation,  in  relation  to  accidents,  the  liability  to  serious  and  perma¬ 
nent  disease,  the  high  death  rate  and  the  short  trade  life  incident  to 
this  employment. 

(6)  The  annual  earnings  of  the  mine  workers  are  insufficient  to 
maintain  the  American  standard  of  living. 

(7)  The  increased  cost  of  living  has  made  it  impossible  to  maintain 
a  fair  standard  of  life  upon  the  basis  of  present  wages  and  has 
not  only  prevented  the  mine  workers  from  securing  any  benefit 
from  increased  prosperity,  but  has  made  their  condition  poorer  on 
account  of  it. 

(8)  The  wages  of  the  anthracite  mine  workers  are  so  low  that 
their  children  are  prematurely  forced  into  the  breakers  and  mills 
instead  of  being  supported  and  educated  upon  the  earnings  of  their 
parents. 

(9)  Wages  are  below  the  fair  and  just  earnings  of  mine  workers  in 
this  industry. 

Second.  A  reduction  of  '20  per  cent  in  hours  of  labor  without  any 
reduction  of  earnings  for  all  employees  paid  by  the  hour,  day  or  week. 

The  second  demand  is  similar  to  the  first  in  that  it  is  designed  to 
increase  the  hourly  rate  of  wages  of  mine  workers  employed  by  the 
hour,  day  or  week,  and  all  the  reasons  applicable  to  the  first  demand 
are  asked  to  be  applied  to  the  second  without  repetition. 

In  addition  thereto  we  submit  the  following: 

(10)  The  ten-hour  day  is  detrimental  to  the  health,  life,  safety  and 
well-being  of  the  mine  workers. 

(11)  Shorter  hours  improve  the  physical,  mental  and  moral  condi¬ 
tion  of  the  workers. 

(12)  Shorter  hours  increase  the  intensity  and  efficiency  of  labor. 

(13)  The  tendency  of  national  and  State  governments,  of  organized 
trades  and  of  production  generally  is  toward  shorter  hours. 

(14)  A  working  day  of  eight  hours  is  sufficiently  long  for  the  best 
interests  of  the  workingmen  and  of  the  community. 

Third.  The  adoption  of  a  system  by  which  coal  shall  be  weighed 
and  paid  for  by  weight  wherever  practicable;  the  minimum  rate  per 
ton  to  be  60  cents  for  a  legal  ton  of  2,240  pounds;  the  differentials  now 
existing  at  the  various  mines  to  be  maintained. 

This  demand  is  made  on  account  of  the  following  reasons: 

(1)  Measurement  b}^  the  legal  ton  wherever  practicable  is  the  only 
honest  and  just  system  of  measuring  the  earnings  of  the  mine  workers. 

(2)  When  the  operators  sell  or  transport  coal  it  is  on  the  basis  of  a 
legal  ton  of  2,240  pounds. 

(3)  The  excessive  ton  was  originally  intended  to  compensate  the 
operator  for  the  weight  of  the  small  sizes  of  coal  which  were  then  dis¬ 
carded  but  which  are  now  utilized  and  sold  and  therefore  there  is  no 
present  necessity  for  the  use  of  any  other  than  the  legal  ton. 

(4)  The  adoption  of  this  system  would  remove  an  incentive,  both  to 
the  operator  and  the  worker,  to  cheating  and  dishonesty,  and  would 
allay  jealousy  among  the  miners  and  prevent  unjust  discrimination  and 
favoritism. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  41 

* 

(5)  The  change  of  the  present  system  to  the  one  asked  for  would 
prove  a  strong  factor  in  allaying  suspicion  and  discontent  amongst  the 
mine  workers. 

Fourth.  The  incorporation  in  an  agreement  between  the  United 
Mine  Workers  of  America  and  the  anthracite  coal  companies  of  the 
wages  which  shall  be  paid  and  the  conditions  of  employment  which 
shall  obtain,  together  with  satisfactory  methods  for  the  adjustment  of 
grievances  which  may  arise  from  time  to  time,  to  the  end  that  strikes 
and  lockouts  may  be  unnecessary. 

In  support  of  this  demand  we  submit  the  following  reasons: 

(1)  The  anthracite  mine  workers  should  not  be  compelled  to  make 
or  sign  individual  agreements  but  should  have  the  right  to  form  such 
organization  and  choose  such  agents  and  officers  as  they  desire  to  act 
collectively  instead  of  individually  whenever  they  deem  that  their  best 
interests  are  subserved  thereby. 

(2)  Agreements  between  employers  and  employees  through  working¬ 
men  s  organizations  are  the  ordinary  method  of  regulating’  production 
and  wages  in  the  bituminous  coal  fields  and  in  other  large  industries, 
and  are  beneficial,  successful  and  in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of  the 
times.  . 

(3)  Unions  of  workingmen  tend  to  better  discipline  of  the  men  and 
to  the  improvement  of  their  physical,  moral  and  mental  condition 
and  to  the  preservation  of  friendly  relations  between  employer  and 
emplo}me. 

(4)  Experience  shows  that  the  trade  agreement  is  the  only  effective 
method  by  which  it  is  possible  to  regulate  questions  arising  between 
employers  and  employed  in  large  industries,  and  that  a  trade  agreement 
is  the  only  possible  way  ‘"to  establish  the  relations  between  employers 
and  the  wage  workers  in  the  anthracite  fields  on  a  just  and  permanent 
basis  and  as  far  as  possible  to  do  away  with  any  causes  for  the  recur¬ 
rence  of  such  difficulties  as  those  you  (the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike  Com¬ 
mission)  have  been  called  in  to  settle.” 

ANSWERS  OF  MINE  OPERATORS. 

To  these  demands  and  the  reasons  in  support  thereof  the  several 
answers  of  the  operators  make  general  and  specific  denial.  No  good 
purpose  would  be  accomplished  by  here  reciting  even  a  summary  of 
these  answers  on  this  point,  even  if  their  volume  did  not  forbid. 
These  answers  all  agree  in  characterizing  the  demands  as  unreasonable 
and  unjust,  and  unsupported  by  facts  pertaining  to  the  industry. 
They  all  declare  the  wages  now  paid  are  adequate  to  maintain  the 
American  standard  of  living,  and  compare  favorably  with  wages  paid 
in  other  industries  requiring  no  greater  skill  or  experience  and  expos¬ 
ing  the  employees  to  as  great  or  greater  hazard.  They’  den}^  that  the 
condition  of  labor  in  the  mines  is  such  as  to  expose  the  employees  to 
extraordinary  hazards,  or  liability  to  disease  or  premature  death,  as 
compared  with  many  other  employments  requiring  equal  skill  and 
training,  and  in  which  lower  rates  of  wages  prevail.  They  insist  that 
a  large  proportion  of  the  accidents  in  the  mines  is  due  to  the  careless- 


42  REPORT  OP  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

ness  of  the  men,  and  not  to  the  nature  of  the  work.  They  den}^  that 
the  increased  cost  of  living  is  such  as  to  make  it  impossible  for  mine 
employees  to  maintain  a  fair  standard  of  life  upon  the  basis  of  present 
wages,  or  that  the  mine  workers  have  been  prevented  thereby  from 
securing  benefit  from  increased  prosperity.  They  contend  that  the 
earnings  of  contract  miners  are  less  than  they  might  otherwise  be,  in 
consequence  of  restrictions  placed  by  the  miners’  organization  upon 
hours  of  labor  or  quantity  of  output.  Some  of  them  allege  that  the 
contract  miners  work  only  about  six  hours,  or  even  less,  a  day  and 
take  numerous  holidays,  whereas  longer  hours  and  less  interrupted 
work  would  materially  increase  their  earnings,  and  that,  in  effect,  they 
are  demanding  for  less  work  than  they  ought  reasonably  to  perform, 
larger  pay  than  would  be  due  for  a  proper  number  of  hours  of  work 
per  day. 

These  claims  and  contentions  on  the  part  of  the  mine  workers  and 
the  answers  thereto,  together  with  the  testimony  in  their  support 
adduced  by  the  parties,  respectively,  have  been  considered  by  the  Com¬ 
mission,  with  the  following  results: 

FINDINGS  OF  THE  COMMISSION. 

I.— DEMAND  FOR  HIGHER  WAGES  FOR  CONTRACT  MINERS. 

The  Commission  finds  that  the  conditions  of  the  life  of  mine  work¬ 
ers  outside  the  mines,  do  not  justify,  to  their  full  extent,  the  adverse 
criticisms  made  by  their  representatives,'  in  their  contentions  at  the 
hearings  and  in  their  arguments  before  the  Commission  in  support 
of  the  proposition  “that  the  annual  earnings  of  the  mine  workers  are 
insufficient  to  maintain  the  American  standard  of  living.”  It  is  true 
that  the  attention  of  the  Commission  was  called  to  a  few  houses  in 
which  miners  or  mine  workers  dwelt  which  were  not  fit  to  be  called 
habitations  of  men,  and  there  was  testimony  that  others  nearly  as  bad 
existed;  but  the  disparity  in  human  character  is  often  manifested  by  a 
like  disparity  in  homes  and  surroundings,  and  this  must  not  be  lost 
sight  of  in  considering  the  general  conditions  of  the  community  in  this 
respect. 

There  was  also  evidence  that  during  the  last  twenty  years  a  general 
though  gradual  improvement  in  miners’  houses  has  taken  place. 
Moreover,  in  any  locality  where  those  occup3dng  the  houses  presum¬ 
ably  receive  or  have  opportunity  to  receive  substantially  the  same 
earnings,  the  best  houses,  if  they  are  in  a  majority,  and  not  the  worst, 
should  be  the  standard.  This  should  be  borne  in  mind  especially  when 
there  is  a  question  of  the  homes  of  recent  immigrants,  as  to  whose 
houses,  where  they  do  not  approach  a  proper  standard,  it  is  impossible 
to  sa}r  how  much  choice  and  volition  have  had  to  do  with  their  inferi- 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


43 


ority.  The  homes  and  surroundings  of  the  English-speaking  miners 
and  mine  workers  are  generally  superior  to  those  of  the  class  just 
mentioned,  and  show  an  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  decencies  of 
life  and  ability  to  realize  them. 

During  the  hearings  much  comment  was  made  on  so-called  company 
houses — that  is,  houses  erected  and  owned  by  the  coal  companies  and 
rented  to  their  employees.  The  statistics  produced  at  the  hearings 
show  that  the  percentage  of  employees  living  in  company  houses  is 
not  large.  So  far  as  could  be  ascertained,  the  facts  show  that  in 
the  northern  and  southern  coal  fields  less  than  10  per  cent  of  the 
employees  rent  their  houses  from  the  employing  companies,  while  in 
the  middle  coal  fields  a  little  less  than  35  per  cent  of  employees  so 
rent  their  houses.  In  this  statement  boarders  are  not  taken  into  ac¬ 
count.  When  the  mines  were  first  opened  they  were  in  many  instances 
at  considerable  distance  from  villages  and  towns,  and  thus  it  became 
necessary  for  the  companies  to  erect  dwellings  in  which  to  house  their 
employees.  Without  this  the  mining  of  coal  could  not  have  been 
carried  on;  but  as  the  villages  and  towns  have  grown  up  around  the 
mining  camps,  the  companies  have  gradually  abandoned  their  earlier 
system,  the  employees  living  wherever  they  choose.  Some  of  the 
older  company  houses  are  in  poor  condition,  but  it  will  not  be  many 
years  before  they  are  of  the  past. 

The  population  and  the  proportion  of  home  owners  of  the  anthracite 
region  as  compared  with  other  parts  of  the  United  States  are  shown  in 
the  following  tables,  taken  from  the  Twelfth  Census: 


POPULATION  AND  HOME  OWNERSHIP  IN  ANTHRACITE  AND  NONANTHRACITE  COUNTIES 
OF  PENNSYLVANIA,  IN  THE  NORTH  ATLANTIC  STATES,  AND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

[Data  from  Part  II  of  the  Report  on  Population  of  the  Twelfth  Census.] 


.  Region. 

Total  pop¬ 
ulation. 

Population  living  in  private 
families. 

Number  of 
farm 
homes. 

Total. 

Per 

cent  of 
total. 

Number  of 
families. 

Pennsylvania: 

The  anthracite  counties— 

Carbon  . 

44, 510 
39, 896 
193, 831 
257, 121 
90, 911 
172, 927 

42,  376 
39, 019 
186, 531 
250, 477 
88, 427 
168, 143 

95. 21 
97.80 

96.23 
97.42 
97.27 

97. 23 

8, 703 
8, 675 
38, 054 
49, 443 
18.530 
33, 789 

1,014 
2,754 
1,855 
3, 289 
2,611 
2,989 

Columbia . 

Lackawanna . 

Luzerne . 

Northumberland . 

Schuylkill . 

Total . 

799, 196 
5, 502,  919 

774, 973 
5, 311, 622 

96.  97 
96.  52 

157, 194 
1, 145, 980 

14, 512 
210, 644 

The  nonanthracite  counties . 

Total . 

6, 302, 115 

6, 086, 595 

96.58 

1, 303, 174 

225, 056 

The  North  Atlantic  States . 

21, 046, 695 
76, 303, 387 

20, 180, 490 
73, 562, 195 

95. 88 
96. 41 

4, 557, 266 
16, 006, 487 

675, 776 
5, 700, 341 

The  United  States . 

44  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION 


POPULATION  AND  HOME  OWNERSHIP  IN  ANTHRACITE  AND  NONANTHRACITE  COUNTIES 
OF  PENNSYLVANIA,  IN  THE  NORTH  ATLANTIC  STATES,  AND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES— 
Concluded. 


Homes  not  on  farms. 


Region. 

Total. 

Owned. 

Owned  without  in¬ 
cumbrance. 

Number. 

Per  cent 
of  total. 

Number. 

Per  cent 
of  num¬ 
ber 

owned,  « 

Pennsylvania: 

The  anthracite  counties — 

Carbon  . 

Columbia . 

Lackawanna . 

Luzerne . 

Northumberland . 

Schuylkill . 

Total . 

The  nonanthracite  counties . 

Total . 

The  North  Atlantic  States . 

The  United  States . 

7,689 
5, 921 
36, 199 
46,154 
15,  919 
30, 800 

2, 721 
2, 655 
14,  809 
15, 680 
5,253 
10, 414 

35. 39 
44.84 
40.  91 
33.97 
33.00 
33. 81 

1,864 
1,720 
9,376 
9, 892 
2, 935 
6, 455 

69.32 
72. 67 
66.28 
65.56 
59.04 
66.86 

142, 682 
935, 436 

51, 532 
308, 219 

36. 12 
32.95 

32, 242 
186, 933 

65.92 
63.  60 

1,078,118 

359,  751 

33. 37 

219, 175 

63.93 

3, 947, 964 
10,  539, 456 

1, 182, 741 
3, 628,  990 

29.96 

34.43 

657, 860 
2,  350, 758 

57.  50 
68. 08 

a  On  basis  of  those  owned  for  which  the  fact  of  incumbrance  or  otherwise  is  reported.  In  many 
cases  this  was  not  ascertained. 


* 

HOME  OWNERSHIP  IN  CERTAIN  PENNSYLVANIA  TOWNS. 


[Data  from  pages  709  and  710  of  Part  II  of  the  Report  on  Population  of  the  Twelfth  Census.] 


Carbondale... 

Dunmore . 

Hazleton . 

Mahanoy  City 
Mount  Carmel 
Nanticoke 

Pittston . 

Plymouth . ... 

Pottsville . 

Scranton . 

Shamokin .... 
Shenandoah.. 
Wilkesbarre .. 


Town. 


Total 
num¬ 
ber  of 
homes. 


2,  887 

2.469 
2, 866 
2,517 
2,411 
2,298 

2.470 
2,668 
8, 415 

20, 299 
3, 561 
3,620 
10, 140 


Owned. 


Num¬ 

ber. 

Per 

cent  of 
total. 

1,549 

53. 65 

1,282 

51. 92 

836 

29.17 

710 

28.21 

727 

30. 15 

836 

36.38 

1,144 

46.32 

693 

25.  97 

1,283 

37. 57 

7,436 

36.63 

892 

25. 05 

803 

22. 18 

3,512 

34. 64 

Owned  and  un¬ 
incumbered. 


Num¬ 

ber. 

Per 

cent. 

(a) 

1,083 

71.02 

694 

62. 92 

649 

77.  91 

411 

58. 71 

404 

55.  80 

343 

41.33 

734 

74.75 

449 

56. 13 

855 

67.32 

4,600 

64. 04 

537 

62.  59 

487 

63. 25 

2,009 

58.86 

a  On  basis  of  those  owned  for  which  the  fact  of  incumbrance  or  otherwise  is  reported.  In  many 
cases  this  was  not  ascertained. 


The  Commission  also  finds  that  the  social  conditions  obtaining1  in 
the  communities  made  up  largely  of  mine  workers  are  good.  The 
number  and  character  of  the  public  schools  accessible  in  all  these 
communities  are  fully  up  to  the  American  standard,  as  shown  by  the 
four  tables  following: 


REPORT  OP  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  45 

NUMBER  ANI)  PER  CENT  OF  PERSONS  ATTENDING  SCHOOL  DURING  CENSUS  YEAR  1899- 

1900,  IN  SELECTED  CITIES,  BY  CLASSIFIED  AGES. 


[Data  from  Part  II  of  the  Report  on  Population  of  the  Twelfth  Census.] 


Persons  attending  school  during  census  year. 


City. 

Persons 
between 
ages  of 

5  and  20, 
inclu¬ 
sive. 

Total. 

Males. 

Under  10 
years  of  age. 

10  to  14  years 
of  age. 

15  years  old 
and  over. 

Num¬ 

ber. 

Per 

cent  of 
those  of 
school 
age. 

Num¬ 

ber. 

Per 

cent  of 
those 
attend¬ 
ing. 

Num¬ 

ber. 

Per 

cent  of 
those 
attend¬ 
ing. 

Num¬ 

ber. 

Per 

cent  of 
those 
attend¬ 
ing. 

Num¬ 

ber. 

Per 

cent  of 
those 
attend¬ 
ing. 

Scranton,  Pa . 

Fall  River,  Mass.... 

Paterson,  N.  J . 

Wilkesbarre,  Pa ... . 

Elizabeth,  N.  J _ 

Erie,  Pa . 

34, 301 
35,  532 
33, 170 
17, 473 
16, 229 
16, 537 

16, 537 
16,980 
17,  540 
8,878 
8, 625 
7, 988 

48.21 
47.  79 
52..S8 
50. 81 
53. 15 
48.30 

7,923 
8,441 
8,770 
4,247 
4,290 
3, 870 

47.91 
49.71 
50. 00 
47.84 
49.  74 
48. 45 

6,325 
6,986 
8,604 
3,511 
3,291 
2,  901 

38.25 
41.14 
49.05 
39.55 
38. 16 
36. 32 

7,993 
8,  622 
7,747 
4,142 
4, 293 
4, 055 

48. 33 
50. 78 
44. 17 
46.65 
49. 77 
50. 76 

2,219 

1,372 

1,189 

1,225 

1,041 

1,032 

13.42 
8. 08 
6.  78 
13. 80 
12.07 
12. 92 

ENROLLED  PUPILS  IN  PUBLIC  AND  PRIVATE  SCHOOLS  AND  ATTENDANCE  IN  PUBLIC 
DAY  SCHOOLS  IN  CERTAIN  TOWNS  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

■»  *• 

[Data  from  the  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Education  for  1899-1900.] 


• 

Place. 

Enrolled  pupils. 

Attendance  in  pub¬ 
lic  day  schools. 

Number 
in  pri¬ 
vate  and 
parochial 
schools, 
(a) 

Number 
in  public 
schools. 

Total. 

Number. 

Per  cent 
of  per¬ 
sons  of 
school 
age. 

Total 

days. 

Average 
per  day. 

Carbondale .  . 

Dunmore . 

154 

2,607 
2, 595 
2,850 
2, 150 
2, 190 
2, 214 
1,650 
1,986 
2, 988 

3, 654 
3,053 

2, 761 
2, 595 
3,250 
2,350 
2, 390 
3, 164 
2,400 

2,  736 
3,488 
5,004 
3,503 

62.11 
59. 52 
65.05 
50.84 
50. 72 
71.57 

56.  78 

57.  99 
70.00 
76.32 
54.42 

391, 950 
428, 000 
389, 340 
301, 500 
254, 694 
273, 960 
216, 000 
252, 938 
451,400 
474, 660 
421, 200 

2,010 
2, 140 
2, 163 
1,675 
1,415 
1,522 
1,200 
1,421 
2,257 
2,637 
2, 340 

Hazleton . 

Mahanoy  City . 

Mount  Carmel . 

Nanticoke . 

Pittston . 

Plymouth . 

Pottsville . 

Shamokin . 

Shenandoah  . 

400 

200 

200 

950 

750 

750 

500 

1,350 

450 

«  Largely  estimated  by  the  Bureau  of  Education. 


LENGTH  OF  SCHOOL  ATTENDANCE  IN  SELECTED  CITIES  DURING  CENSUS  YEAR  1899-1900 
[Data  from  Part  II  of  the  Report  on  Population  of  the  Twelfth  Census.] 


City. 

Persons  attending  for  specified  periods  during  census  year. 

One  month  or 
less. 

Two  to  three 
months. 

Four  to  five 
months. 

Six  months  or 
more. 

Num¬ 

ber. 

Percent 
of  total. 

Num¬ 

ber. 

Percent 
of  total. 

Num¬ 

ber. 

Percent 
of  total. 

N  um- 
*  ber. 

Percent 
of  total. 

Scranton,  Pa* . 

Fall  River,  Mass . 

Paterson,  N.  J . 

Wilkesbarre,  Pa . 

Elizabeth,  N.  J . 

Erie,  Pa . 

77 

146 

74 

20 

31 

31 

0. 46 
.86 
.42 
.23 
.36 
.39 

254 

288 

226 

74 

78 

85 

1.54 

1.70 

1.29 

.83 

.90 

1.06 

331 

237 

377 

99 

122 

100 

2. 00 
1.39 
2. 15 
1.11 
1.42 
1.25 

15,875 
16, 309 
16, 863 
8,685 
8,  394 
7, 772 

96.00 
96.05 
96.14 
97.83 
97. 32 
97.30 

46 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


SCHOOL  POPULATION,  VALUE  OF  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  PROPERTY,  AND  ANNUAL  EXPENDI¬ 
TURE  FOR  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  IN  CERTAIN  TOWNS  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

[Data  from  Part  II  of  the  Report  on  Population  of  the  Twelfth  Census  and  the  Report  of  the  Com- 

issioner  of  Education  for  1899-1900.] 


Place. 

Persons 
of  school 
age. 

Value  of  public 
school  property. 

Annual  expendi¬ 
ture. 

Amount. 

Per  indi¬ 
vidual  of 
school 
age. 

Amount. 

Per  indi¬ 
vidual  of 
school 
age. 

Carbondale . 

4,445 

8178, 000 

$40.  04 

$42, 395 

$9.54 

Dunmore . 

4,360 

150, 000 

34.  40 

39,  705 

9.11 

Hazleton . 

4,996 

205, 000 

41.03 

39,  615 

7.93 

Mahanoy  City . . . . 

4,622 

112,000 

24. 23 

35, 604 

7.70 

Mount  Carmel. . . . 

4, 712 

90,  000 

19.10 

25, 491 

5. 41 

Nanticoke . 

4, 421 

99,  637 

22. 54 

30, 046 

6. 80 

Pittston . 

4, 227 

85, 000 

20.11 

24, 006 

5. 68 

Plymouth . 

4, 718 

100, 000 

21. 20 

21,852 

4.63 

Pnttaville 

4,983 

(a) 

63, 843 

12.  81 

Scranton . 

34;  301 

1, 000, 000 

29. 15 

363, 232 

10. 59 

Shamokin . 

6,557 

300, 000 

45.  75 

41, 446 

6.32 

Shenandoah . 

6,437 

130. 000 

20.  20 

45, 576 

7.08 

Wilkesbarre . 

17, 473 

525, 000 

30. 05 

151,064 

8. 82 

«Not  reported. 

The  number  of  churches  in  proportion  to  the  population  is  rather 
above  the  average,  and  the  opportunities  generally  for  mental  and 
religious  instruction  appear  to  be  adequate. 

The  contention  that  the  increased  cost  of  living,  has  made  it  impossi¬ 
ble  to  maintain  a  fair  standard  of  life,  upon  the  basis  of  present  earn¬ 
ings,  and  has  not  only  prevented  the  mine  workers  from  securing 
any  benefit  from  increased  prosperity  and  from  the  increase  in  wages 
made  in  1900,  but  has  rendered  their  condition  poorer  can  not 
be  fully  allowed  in  the  terms  in  which  it  is  made,  although  the 
increased  cost  of  living  since  1900  is  an  element  that  has  been  care¬ 
fully  considered.  This  increase  for  the  past  few  years,  as  ascertained 
by  an  investigation  made  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Labor 
for  a  forthcoming  report,  and  taking  into  consideration  the  leading 
articles  of  consumption  for  food,  amounts  to  9.8  per  cent.  A  sum¬ 
mary  of  this  investigation,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  anthracite  coal 
region,  will  be  found  in  the  appendix  to  this  report,  and  is  submitted 
herewith.  (°)  From  this  it  is  seen  that,  taking  the  average  quantity  of 
articles  consumed  per  family  and  assuming  prices  for  1901  to  be  100,  in 
1898  they  were  96.5;  in  1899,  94.5;  in  1900,  96.7,  and  in  1902,  106.2, 
the  relative  increase  in  cost  between  1900  and  1902,  therefore,  being, 
as  stated,  9.8  per  cent.  These  conclusions  are  based  on  retail  prices 
secured  by  special  agents  of  the  Department  of  Labor  from  58  estab¬ 
lishments,  representing  13  cities  or  towns  in  the  anthracite  regions, 
and  are  trustworthy  so  far  as  they  go. 

A  witness  for  the  miners  (J.  W.  Rittenhouse)  submitted  some  data 
collected  by  him  relative  to  the  cost  of  living.  In  giving  a  list  of  the 
necessaries  of  life  for  a  miner’s  family  he  stated  that  in  1900  they 
cost  $17.61;  in  December,  1901,  $20.29,  and  in  1902,  $22.94,  and 


a  See  pages  199,  200. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  47 

that  the  general  increase  was  30  per  cent  between  1900  and  1902.  Mr. 
John  D.  Hughes,  another  witness  produced  on  behalf  of  the  mine 
workers,  and  manager  of  Armour  &  Co.’s  interests  in  the  city  of 
Scranton,  in  answer  to  a  question  as  to  what  the  general  result 
showed  as  to  prices  between  1900  and  1902,  stated  that  in  1901 
the  general  increase  over  1900  was  104  per  cent  and  in  1902  23.2 
per  cent. 

Statistics  of  this  kind,  however,  are  rather  too  inexact  for  a  satisfac¬ 
tory  basis  on  which  to  make  precise  calculations  when  considering  the 
question  of  an  increase  of  wages,  for  there  are  some  elements  entering 
into  the  ascertainment  of  an  average  rise  of  prices  in  such  a  period  as 
that  we  are  considering,  which  are  temporary  in  their  effect.  So  there 
are  other  elements  which  influence  the  average  disproportionately  to 
their  effect  upon  the  expenditures  of  the  individual.  As  an  example 
of  this  inexactness  or  uncertainty  we  may  cite  the  rise  in  price  of  one 
of  the  prime  necessaries  of  life — meat — during  1902,  which  was  sudden 
and  serious  and  which  had  its  effect  on  other  prime  necessaries,  and 
yet  recent  experience  has  demonstrated  its  temporary  character. 

Another  contention  of  the  miners,  to  wit,  that  the  wages  of  con¬ 
tract  miners  are  necessarily  so  low  that  their  children  are  prematurely 
forced  into  breakers  and  mills,  has  not  been  fully  sustained,  and  the 
Commission  does  not  think  that  the  testimony  warrants  it  in  finding 
as  a  fact  the  allegations  so  made. 

So  much  is  said  on  these  points,  because  a  disproportionate  length 
of  time  was  occupied  in  giving  testimony,  and"  in  making  arguments 
before  the  Commission  in  regard  to  them,  and  it  is  desired  to  dispose 
of  them  here,  that  we  may  consider  more  closely  the  more  important 
factors  that  should  influence  a  proper  judgment  as  to  the  merits  of 
the  demand  made  for  higher  wages. 

As  to  the  general  contention  that  the  rates  of  compensation  for  con¬ 
tract  miners  in  the  anthracite  region,  are  lower  than  those  paid  in  the 
bituminous  fields  for  work  substantially  similar,  or  lower  than  are  paid 
in  other  occupations  requiring  equal  skill  and  training,  the  Commission 
finds  that  there  has  been  a  failure  to  produce  testimony  to  sustain 
either  of  these  propositions. 

As  to  the  bituminous  fields,  we  have  no  satisfactory  evidence  upon 
which  to  base  a  comparison  between  the  standard  of  earnings  there, 
and  in  the  anthracite  fields,  neither  miners  nor  operators  adducing 
evidence  upon  which  an  intelligent  judgment  on  that  point  might  be 
formed.  There  was,  however,  a  good  deal  of  testimony  upon  the 
second  proposition,  that  the  present  rates  of  compensation  in  the 
anthracite  region  are  lower  than  those  in  other  occupations  requir¬ 
ing  equal  skill  and  training.  It  is  difficult  to  institute  a  comparison, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  contract  miners,  who  constitute  approxi¬ 
mately  26  per  cent  and  their  laborers  18  per  cent  of  the  mine  workers, 


48  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

are  paid  according  to  contract — so  much  for  a  given  amount  of  coal 
produced.  As  to  this  class,  of  course,  the  conditions  on  which  a  rate 
of  daily  or  monthly  earnings  depends,  are  so  variant  that  a  deduction 
of  a  uniform  daily  or  monthly  rate  can  not  well  be  obtained  or  expected. 

To  some  extent  the  contract  miner  has  within  his  own  control  the 
number  of  hours  he  shall  work  each  day r  and  consequently  the  amount 
of  work  he  shall  perform.  He  is  paid  by  the  mine  car,  yard,  or  ton 
for  the  coal  he  blows  down,  the  loading  of  which  into  the  mine  car  is 
generally  the  work  of  a  laborer,  who  is  paid  by  the  contract  miner, 
who  also  pays  for  powder,  oil,  and  tools,  so  that  in  many  respects  he 
may  be  called  an  independent  contractor.  For  our  present  purpose  it 
is  important  to  ascertain,  first,  the  net  earnings  he  is  able  to  make  for 
the  day  or  the  year,  and,  second,  what  be  actually  does  make.  We 
find  some,  though  not  a  great,  difference  in  the  answers  to  these  two 
inquiries.  It  is  not  surprising  to  find  that  there  is  much  difference  in 
the  annual  earnings  of  such  miners.  Experience,  natural  capacity, 
aptitude  for  the  work,  individual  industry,  and  habits  of  sobriety 
materially  affect  the  amount  that  is  earned. 

In  addition  to  these  causes  of  difference,  which  are  more  or  less  in 
the  control  of  the  miner,  there  are  others  inherent  in  the  nature  of  the 
work,  which,  though  there  is  a  tendency  to  overcome  them  by  differ¬ 
ential  rates  of  payment  and  by  allowances,  still  constitute  serious 
obstacles  to  uniformity  in  the  miners’  monthly  or  yearly  earnings. 
Such  are  the  variation  in  thickness  and  pitch  of  the  coal  seams,  faults, 
and  the  greater  or  less  impurity  of  the  coal  owing  to  the  presence  of 
rock,  slate,  and  other  foreign  substances.  Although  there  is  an 
endeavor,  as  has  been  said,  to  overcome  these  difficulties  by  allowances, 
there  still  must  remain,  when  the  best  has  been  done,  inequality  aris¬ 
ing  from  these  causes  in  the  aggregate  yearly  earnings  of  the  miner. 

Compilations  have  been  made,  at  the  request  of  the  Commission,  by 
the  various  operators,  parties  to  the  submission,  showing  the  gross  and 
net  earnings  of  the  contract  miners,  practically  covering  the  year  1901. 
These  compilations,  with  the  tables  of  wages  paid  all  mine  workers, 
have  been  prepared  at  great  expense,  and  have  been  accepted,  for  the 
most  part,  by  the  representatives  of  the  miners  as  showing  truly  what 
they  purport  to  show.  From  them  other  tables  and  deductions  have 
been  made  under  the  direction  of  the  Recorder  and  the  Assistant 
Recorder,  Dr.  Neill,  and  they  have  proved  of  great  value  in  the  delib¬ 
erations  of  the  Commission.  Many  of  these  tables  and  compilations 
will  be  found  in  the  appendix  to  this  report,  and  can  not  fail  to  prove 
of  value  to  those  interested  in  the  economic  aspects  of  the  work  of  the 
Commission.  (a) 

It  is  readily  seen  from  what  has  been  said  that  the  difficulty  of 
comparing  the  rate  of  earnings  of.  contract  miners  with  the  rate  of 
wages  paid  in  other  occupations  requiring  equal  skill  and  training 


«  See  pages  175  to  1S6. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  49 

is  serious.  We  do  not  find,  as  has  been  already  said,  that  testi- 
mon3r  has  been  adduced  on  either  side  which  would  permit  satisfactory 
comparison  with  the  rate  of  wages  or  earnings  paid  in  the  bituminous 
coal  fields.  •  In  attempting*  a  comparison  with  other  occupations,  we 
are  met  at  once  with  the  embarrassing  condition  that  in  such  occupa¬ 
tions  the  late  of  wages  paid  by  the  day  or  the  month  is  uniform,  and 
the  labor  is  generally  continuous  throughout  the  year,  while  in  the 
woik  of  contract  miners,  who  are  paid  by  the  yard,  car,  or  ton, 
the  numbei  of  days  or  hours  represented  by  the  earnings  is  a  varying 
quantity,  and  the  number  of  days  in  which  he  is  actually  employed  at 
all,  may  be  much  fewer  than  the  average  number  of  days  constituting 
a  year’s  work  in  most  other  employments. 

We  have  already  said  that  the  personal  element  constantly  enters 
into  the  case.  The  miner  who  by  special  aptitude  or  training  knows 
how  to  economize  powder  and  other  supplies,  and  who  is  willing 
to  devote  two  or  three  hours  more  a  day  than  the  average  to  his  worl^, 
can  and  does  make  a  larger  income  than  his  fellows  who  fail  in  these 
respects.  Nevertheless,  we  have,  from  the  abundant  data  furnished  us, 
made  some  comparison  and  have  sought  to  arrive  at  such  general 
lesults  as  would  fairly  represent  the  average  earnings  of  the  con¬ 
tract  miner.  We  have  endeavored  to  base  our  judgment,  not  upon 
semimonthly  or  monthly  returns,  but  upon  the  earnings  of  those  who 
have  labored  throughout  the  year,  only  a  part  of  whom  may  have 
availed  themselves  of  all  their  opportunities. 

It  is  impossible  to  be  accurate  in  this  matter.  The  conditions  that 
make  accuracy  impossible  are  inherent  in  the  nature  of  the  subject 
with  which  we  are  dealing.  Neither  contract  miners  nor  mine  work¬ 
ers  can  work  the  full  number  of  days  in  a  year  which  it  is  possible  to 
woik  in  othei  callings;  that  is  to  say,  owing  to  causes  beyond  the  con¬ 
trol  of  either  miner  or  operator— such  as  breakage  of  machinery  inside 
or  outside  the  mine,  disarrangement  of  pumps,  storms,  repairs,  etc. — 
opportunity  to  work  in  the  mines,  without  fault  of  either  operator  or 
miner,  does  not  present  itself  on  each  working*  day  of  the  year.  On 
the  other  hand,  for  causes  within  the  control  of  the  operator  or  miner, 
the  number  of  idle  days  at  the  mines  is,  or  may  be,  increased. 

Take  for  example  the  year  1901,  a  year  of  more  than  usual  activity 
in  mining  operations,  the  average  number  of  days  throughout  the 
region  on  which  work  was  started  was  approximately  260.  The 
number  may  have  been  less.  So  that  the  yearly  income  of  the  con¬ 
tract  miner,  as  well  as  that  of  the  others,  is  the  product  of  work 
done  in  parts  of  days  fewer  by  50  than  the  number  of  working  days 
in  the  year;  and  for  the  contract  miner  the  hours  worked  in  each  of 
the  days  in  which  a  start  is  made,  are  fewer  than  10,  and  from  the  evi¬ 
dence  we  feel  warranted  in  saying  that  they  certainly  do  not  exceed, 
on  the  average,  8  hours,  there  being*  much  testimony  to  show  that 
S.  Doc.  6— — 4 


50  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

many  of  the  miners  go  into  the  mines  between  6  and  7  in  the  morn¬ 
ing  and  come  out  before  2  o’clock  in  the  afternoon.  This  is  a  fact, 
of  course,  to  be  taken  into  consideration  in  determining  a  fair  rate  of 

compensation  or  a  fair  annual  earning. 

We  find  that  the  average  daily  rate  of  earnings,  as  nearly  as  can  be 
ascertained,  does  not  compare  unfavorably  with  that  in  othei  indus¬ 
tries  requiring  substantially  equal  skill  and  training.  It  is  moie 
instructive,  of  course,  to  compare  annual  earnings  of  the  contract 
miner  with  the  annual  earnings  of  those  employed  in  other  occupa¬ 
tions.  We  find  that  these  annual  earnings  of  contract  miners,  based 
upon  returns  for  the  year  1901,  range  between  $550  and  $600.  Perhaps 
it  would  be  safe  to  put  the  average  at  $560. 

A  representative  illustration  may  be  taken  from  the  data  submitted 
by  the  Lehigh  Valley  and  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  compa¬ 
nies,^)  whose  work  seems  to  have  been  conducted  as  regular^  and 
systematically  as  any  in  the  region.  The  reports  of  these  two  compa¬ 
nies  included  only  such  miners  as  worked  in  their  respective  collieries 
throughout  the  year,  and  whose  names  appear,  for  some  days  at  least, 
on  the  pay  rolls  of  each  month  in  the  year.  The  earnings  shown  for 
these  miners,  therefore,  represent  their  total  earnings  for  the  year, 
and  it  is  clear  that  they  were  not  supplemented  by  work  done 

elsewhere. 

The  Lehigh  Valley  collieries  show  average  annual  earnings  of  con¬ 
tract  miners  ranging  from  $667  to  $465,  and  the  average  daily  earnings 
from  $2.81  to  $2.19.  The  average  annual  earnings  for  their  17  col¬ 
lieries  is  $568.17,  and  the  average  daily  earnings  $2.41.  The  average 
number  of  days  on  which  the  miners  worked  is  236,  which  is  89  per 
cent  of  the  days  on  which  the  collieries  made  starts. 

The  collieries  of  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Company  show  average 
annual  earnings  ranging  from  $686  to  $451,  and  the  average  daily  earn¬ 
ings  from  $2.74  to  $2.33.  The  average  annual  earnings  for  all  the 
collieries  is  $589,  and  the  average  daily  earnings  $2.47.  The  average 
number  of  days  worked  by  the  miners  in  all  the  collieries  of  this  com¬ 
pany  was  238,  which  was  92  per  cent  of  the  average  number  of  days 

on  which  the  collieries  made  starts. 

Taking  the  figures  from  which  these  averages  have  been  made,  we 
find  that  121  miners  who  made  250  starts  in  the  year  earned  each 
$686.08,  which  were  the  highest  yearly  earnings,  and  that  103  miners 
who  made  185  starts  earned  each  $451.07,  and  so  throughout  the  list, 
the  miners  who  made  the  larger  income  working  on  the  greater  num¬ 
ber  of  da}\s,  and  those  who  made  the  smaller  income  working  on  the 
less  number  of  days.  It  is  also  significant  that  those  who  worked  on 
the  greatest  number  of  da}rs  and  had  the  largest  yearly  income,  made 
the  largest  average  daily  earnings,  and  those  who  worked  on  the  least 
number  of  days  made  the  smallest  average  daily  earnings.  (6) 


«  See  pages  177, 178. 


6  See  page  178. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  51 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  results  derived  from  the  statements  of  these 
two  companies  approximate  each  other  closely  in  average  earnings,  in 
daily  earnings,  as  well  as  in  the  number  of  days  worked,  and  in  the 
percentage  of  the  days  on  which  the  collieries  were  in  operation. 

A  great  many  other  tables  have  been  submitted,  and  a  large,  almost 
an  embarrassing,  mass  of  figures  has  been  presented  bearing  upon  this 
subject,  but  careful  study  and  scrutiny  of  them  all,  persuades  us  that 
in  the  illustrations  just  given  we  have  made  a  selection  that  will  fairly 
show  the  true  condition  in  this  respect.  As  already  said,  these  fig¬ 
ures  are  based  upon  the  large  operations  of  the  year  1901,  a  year  of 
unusual  activit}r  in  the  anthracite  field.  Some  preceding  years  do  not 
show  so  great  an  opportunity  for  earning  as  this  year  afforded.  It 
may,  however,  be  reasonably  expected  that  the  future  demand  for 
anthracite  coal  will  keep  the  industry  at  its  present  point  of  activity 
for  some  time  to  come. 

We  have  also  considered  the  contention,  and  the  testimony  bearing 
upon  it,  that  the  mining  industry  is  perilous  and  extra  hazardous,  and 
find  that  it  should  be  classed  as  one  of  the  dangerous  industries  of  the 
country,  ranking  with  several  of  the  most  dangerous.  The  statistics 
so  far  available  (which  appear  in  this  report  under  4  k  Hazardous  nature 
of  anthracite  mining”")  do  not  show  a  greater  hazard  than  obtains  in 
some  other  occupations,  notably  in  the  fisheries  and  in  those  of 
switchmen  and  freight-train  crews  on  our  railroads.  Still,  the 
requirements  are  exacting,  and  this  fact  has  been  duly  weighed  by 
the  Commission,  in  coming  to  a  decision  upon  the  demand  for  an 
increase  in  the  rate  of  compensation  of  contract  miners. 

Reviewing  the  whole  case,  and  acting  upon  the  conviction  produced 
by  the  hearing  of  testimony,  and  the  examination  of  statistics,  the 
Commission  is  of  the  opinion  that,  in  view  of  the  interruptions  inci¬ 
dent  to  mining  operations,  the  increased  cost  of  living,  the  uncertainty 
as  to  the  number  of  days  during  the  year  presenting  an  opportunitv 
for  work,  and  the  inequalities  of  physical  conditions  affecting  the 
ability  to  earn,  and  not  overlooking  the  hazardous  nature  of  the 
employment,  some  increase  in  the  rate  of  compensation  to  contract 
miners  should  be  made. 

The  Commission,  therefore,  considers,  and  so  adjudges  and  awards: 
That  an  increase  of  10  per  cent  over  and  above  the  rates  paid  in  the 
month  of  April,  1902,  be  paid  to  all  contract  miners  for  cutting  coal, 
yardage,  and  other  work  for  which  standard  rates  or  allowances 
existed  at  that  time,  from  and  after  November  1,  1902,  and  during  the 
life  of  this  award;  and  also  to  the  legal  representatives  of  such  con¬ 
tract  miners  as  may  have  died  since  November  1,  1902.  The  amount 
of  increase  under  the  award  due  for  work  done  between  November  1, 
1902,  and  April  1,  1903,  to  be  paid  on  or  before  June  1,  1903. 


a  See  pages  27  to  31, 


52  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


II. —DEMAND  FOR  REDUCTION  IN  HOURS  OF  LABOR. 

The  second  demand  in  the  statement  of  claim  filed  by  the  miners  is 
as  follows: 

A  reduction  of  20  per  cent  in  the  hours  of  labor,  without  any  reduc¬ 
tion  of  earnings,  for  all  employees  paid  by  the  hour,  day,  or  week. 

Many  of  the  conditions  to  which  we  have  adverted  as  attending  the 
work  of  contract  miners  also  affect  the  work  of  the  “  company  men,”  or 
men  in  and  about  the  mines,  who  are  paid  on  the  basis  of  a  10-hour 
day,  and  generally  for  the  hours  actually  worked— that  is  to  say,  their 
hours  of  labor  in  a  large  proportion  of  instances  depend  upon  what  is 
called  breaker  time;  that  is,  upon  the  number  of  days  during  each  of 
which  the  mine  or  breaker  is  operated  for  any  number  of  hours,  how¬ 
ever  few. 

The  employees  in  and  around  the  mines,  other  than  contract  miners 
and  their  laborers,  constitute  60  per  cent  of  all  mine  workers.  Their 
occupations  are  exceedingly  varied,  and  different  classes  of  labor  are 
paid  at  different  rates,  and  the  annual  earnings  differ  accordingly. 
Under  one  company  these  classes  amount  to  as  many  as  108,  each  class 
receiving  a  different  daily  or  monthly  wage,  and  sometimes  individ¬ 
uals  in  the  same  class  receiving  a  varying  wage,  due,  no  doubt,  to 
their  unequal  skill  and  capacity. 

The  classification  of  labor  in  and  around  a  mine,  excluding  contract 
miners  and  their  laborers,  includes  the  following  different  occupations: 
Repair  men,  road  men,  bottom  men,  plane  men,  switchmen,  car  run¬ 
ners,  spraggers,  fan  and  door  boys,  oilers,  lamp  men,  pump  men,  stable 
men,  drivers,  loader  bosses,  loaders,  chute  starters,  day  miners,  day 
laborers,  locomotive  engineers,  inside  engineers,  hoisting  engineers, 
firemen,  machinists,  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  blacksmiths’  helpers, 
breaker  engineers,  jigger  engineers,  platform  men,  timbermen,  top  men, 
slate  pickers,  breaker  boys,  etc.  The  wages  of  all  of  these  classes  differ, 
although  they  do  not  differ  widely.  Nevertheless  some  of  them  require 
more  aptitude  and  training  than  others,  and  deserve  and  receive  a  corre¬ 
spondingly  higher  wage  rate.  Hence,  excluding  machinists,  carpen¬ 
ters,  blacksmiths,  and  those  having  trades  that  are  common  to  every 
community,  it  is  difficult  to  make  a  just  comparison  of  the  wage  rates 
received  by  these  mine  workers,  with  those  “paid  in  other  occupations 
requiring  equal  skill  and  training.” 

It  must  be  observed  that  we  are  here  dealing  with  the  rate  of  wages 
and  not  annual  earnings.  We  have  attempted  the  comparison,  how¬ 
ever,  and  carefully  considered  the  voluminous  testimony  adduced  on 
this  point,  and  we  do  not  find  that  the  proposition  we  are  considering, 
to  wit,  that  the  present  rate  of  wages  of  mine  workers  in  the  anthra¬ 
cite  region  “is  lower  than  is  paid  in  other  occupations  requiring  equal 
skill  and  training,”  is  supported. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


53 


In  view  of  the  more  permanent  character  of  the  employment  of  hoist¬ 
ing  engineers  and  other  engineers  and  pumpmen,  who  are  employed 
in  positions  which  are  manned  continuously,  as  compared  with  other 
miners  and  mine  workers,  the  Commission  adjudges  and  awards: 

That  engineers  who  are  employed  in  hoisting  water  shall  have  an 
increase  of  10  per  cent  on  their  earnings  between  November  1, 1902,  and 
April  1, 1903,  to  be  paid  on  or  before  June  1,  1903;  and  a  like  allowance 
shall  be  paid  to  the  legal  representatives  of  such  employees  as  may 
have  died  since  November  1,  1902;  and  from  and  after  April  1,  1903, 
and  during  the  life  of  the  award,  they  shall  have  8-hour  shifts, 
with  the  same  pay  which  was  effective  in  April,  1902;  and  where 
they  are  now  working  8-hour  shifts,  the  8-hour  shifts  shall  be  con¬ 
tinued,  and  these  engineers  shall  have  an  increase  of  10  per  cent  on 
the  wages  which  were  effective  in  the  several  positions  in  April,  1902. 

,  Hoisting  engineers  and  other  engineers  and  pumpmen,  other  than 
those  employed  in  hoisting  water,  who  are  employed  in  positions  which 
are  manned  continuously,  shall  have  an  increase  of  10  per  cent  on  their 
earnings  between  November  1,  1902,  and  April  1,  1903,  to  be  paid  on 
or  before  June  1,  1903;  and  a  like  allowance  shall  be  paid  to  the  legal 
representatives  of  such  employees  as  may  have  died  since  November 
1,  1902;  and  from  and  after  April  1,  1903,  and  during  the  life  of  the 
award,  they  shall  have  an  increase  of  5  per  cent  on  the  rates  of  wages 
which  were  effective  in  the  several  positions  in  April,  1902;  and  in 
addition  they  shall  be  relieved  from  duty  on  Sundays,  without  loss  of 
pay,  by  a  man  provided  by  the  employer  to  relieve  them  during  the 
hours  of  the  day  shift. 

(  The  reason  for  this  award  is  apparent,  when  the  fact  is  considered, 
that  heretofore  many  men  in  these  positions  have  worked  on  two  shifts 
in  the  21  hours,  through  the  entire  week,  Sundays  included,  having  no 
cessation  from  work  on  Sunday,  except  by  the  custom,  by  which  each 
of  them  in  turn  remains  on  duty  21  hours  every  other  Sunday,  in  order 
to  alternate  the  men  on  the  night  and  day  shifts. 

The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  firemen  shall  have  an 
increase  of  10  per  cent  on  their  earnings  between  November  1,  1902, 
and  April  1,  1903,  to  be  paid  on  or  before  June  1,  1903;  and  a  like 
allowance  shall  be  paid  to  the  legal  representatives  of  such  employees 
as  may  have  died  since  November  1,  1902;  and  from  and  after  April 
1,  1903,  and  during  the  life  of  the  award,  they  shall  have  8-hour 
shifts,  with  the  same  wages  per  day,  week,  or  month  as  were  paid  in 
each  position  in  April,  1902. 

Excluding  hoisting  engineers,  pump  men,  other  engineers,  and  fire¬ 
men  engaged  where  the  work  is  continued  through  the  21  hours, 
most  of  these  employees  to  whom  we  have  just  referred  as  company 
men,  who  are  paid  by  the  day  or  hour,  can  work  only  when  the 
breaker  or  the  mine  is  in  operation.  Here,  again,  we  meet  with  the 


54  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

same  result  that  we  have  considered  in  the  case  of  the  contract  miner, 
that  the  rate  of  daily  or  hourly  wages  does  not  compare  unfavorably 
with  that  obtaining  in  other  similar  industries  requiring  no  greater 
skill  or  training;  but,  owing  to  the  want  of  continuousness  in  their 
work,  due  to  causes  alread}7  referred  to,  the  annual  wage  or  income  is, 
of  course,  less  than  that  which  would  obtain  were  the  work  less 
interrupted. 

Another  feature  to  be  considered,  is,  that  most  of  these  men,  when 
they  do  work,  work  less  than  10  hours  a  day,  although  they  work  on 
the  basis  of  a  10-hour  day;  that  is,  taldng  breaker  time  as  the  stand¬ 
ard,  in  many  collieries  they  work  less  than  9  hours  a  day  on  an 
average.  We  find  that  in  the  anthracite  region  at  large  the  time 
made  during  the  year  1901,  on  the  basis  of  10  hours  to  a  day,  was 
196  days,  while  the  days  upon  which  actual  starts  were  made,  or  dur¬ 
ing  some  portion  of  which  work  was  done,  were  258.  The  general 
average  of  breaker  starts,  the  average  hours  the  breaker  worked  per 
day,  and  the  average  number  of  working  days  of  10  hours  for  the 
year  1901  have  been  given  for  various  companies,  and  the  detailed 
statistics  for  the  different  collieries  of  these  companies  will  be  found 
in  the  appendix.  ( a ) 

It  will  be  seen  that  there  are  comparatively  few  employees  in  the 
anthracite  region  who  are  able  to  obtain  steady  employment  through¬ 
out  the  year.  If  a  full  day’s  work  could  be  secured  for  every  day  the 
breakers  start,  the  condition  of  the  mine  workers  would  be  greatly 
improved,  and  their  earnings  would  be  increased  approximately  25 
per  cent  over  those  made  in  1901,  and  would  compare  favorably  with 
other  fields  of  employment.  Taking,  for  instance,  the  collieries  of 
the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  the  average 
number  of  starts  made  by  the  37  breakers  reported  by  this  company 
was  261,  which  would  have  represented  261  working  days  of  10  hours 
had  full  time  been  made.  But  the  average  number  of  hours  per  day 
made  at  these  collieries  was  8.6,  and  the  average  number  of  working 
da}^s  of  10  hours  was  thus  reduced  to  224.5.  The  records  of  other 
companies  exhibit  conditions  less  favorable. 

In  the  collieries  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western,  the 
average  number  of  breaker  starts  was  262,  the  average  hours  per  start 
amounted  to  7.8,  and  the  average  number  of  working  days  of  10  hours 
was  205.  The  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company  averaged  for 
11  collieries  258  starts,  with  7.7  hours  to  a  start,  equivalent  to  199 
days  of  10  hours.  The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company  reported  for 
24  collieries  an  average  of  264  starts,  with  6.9  hours  to  a  start,  or  183 
days  of  10  hours.  This  statement  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Com¬ 
pany  includes  the  Baltimore  and  Delaware  collieries,  which  were  idle 
more  than  half  the  year  because  of  floods.  Excluding  these  two  col¬ 
lieries,  the  average  breaker  starts  were  274,  with  7  hours  to  the  start, 


«  See  pages  189  to  191. 


'.REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  55 

or  192  days  of  10  hours.  Six  collieries  operated  by  the  Temple  Iron 
Company  started,  on  an  average,  256  days,  making  7.2  hours  to  each 
start,  or  184  10-hour  days.  The  average  number  of  10-hour  days 
made  by  the  Scranton  Coal  Company  (9  collieries),  the  Hillside  Coal 
and  Iron  Company  (5  collieries),  and  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company 
(10  collieries),  respectively,  were  172, 167,  and  159,  the  average  breaker 
starts  being  260,  253,  and  232. 

A  study  of  the  tables  shows  comparatively  few  instances  in  which 
the  breakers  made  full  10  hours,  while  from  6  to  9  hour  days  were 
the  most  numerous.  In  many  cases  the  breakers  made  but  2,  3,  or  4 
hours  after  starting  up,  and  these  conditions,  taken  in  connection  with 
the  number  of  days  the  breakers  are  shut  down  entirely,  seriouslv 
affect  the  earning  capacity  of  the  employees.  The  Commission  recog¬ 
nizes,  as  already  stated,  that  in  many  cases  these  interruptions  to 
steady  employment  are  unavoidable.  The  complicated  machinery  of 
the  breakers,  engaged  in  heavy  and  exacting  work,  is  constantly  liable 
to  accidents  which  apparently  no  foresight  can  prevent.  Shortage  of 
railroad  cars  and  other  causes,  which  in  some  cases  might  be  prevented, 
frequently  necessitate  shutting  down  the  breaker  after  only  a*  few 
hours  work,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  day  is  lost.  As  in  the  case  of 
contract  miners,  it  is  also  true  that  suspensions  are  occasionally  due  to 
the  action  of  the  men  themselves  in  remaining  away  from  work  because 
of  some  holiday,  and  this  has  been  given  due  weight  in  the  delibera¬ 
tions  of  the  Commission.  The  chief  cause  for  complaint  seems  to  be, 
however,  in  the  frequent  shut-downs  after  the  work  of  the  day  has 
begun,  and  the  Commission  feels  that  some  remedy  for  this  condition 
is  due  the  men.  The  time  lost  in  going  to  and  coming  from  his  work¬ 
ing  place,  is  as  great  if  the  laborer  works  2  hours  as  if  he  works  9  or 
10  hours. 

The  tables  in  the  appendix  (a)  show  the  average  rates  of  pay  per 
10-hour  day,  the  average  number  of  10-hour  days  worked,  and  the  aver¬ 
age  annual  earnings  of  all  the  men  and  boys  in  various  occupations  in 
and  about  the  mines  who  are  paid  by  the  day,  week,  or  month,  exclu¬ 
sive  of  superintendents,  foremen,  and  fire  bosses.  These  “day  men” 
or  “company  men”  so  tabulated  number  81,856,  and  form  55  per  cent 
of  the  whole  number  of  mine  workers.  Accurate  records  of  their 
earnings  are  on  the  books  of  the  companies,  and  there  was  no  difficulty 
in  ascertaining  their  annual  earnings,  except  the  enormous  amount  of 
labor  necessary  to  bring  all  the  data  together.  It  was  not  practicable 
in  all  cases  to  separate  the  earnings  of  men  and  boys.  A  table  in 
the  appendix  (b)  shows  these  groups  separately  for  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Company,  and  may  be  taken  as  representative  of  the  distribu¬ 
tion  of  men  and  boys  in  the  various  occupations,  the  proportion  of 
men  and  boys  being  substantially  the  same  under  all  the  companies. 


a  See  pages  181  to  186. 


^See  pages  184  to  186. 


50  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

The  table  of  earnings  of  company  men  and  boys,  summarized,  is  as 
follows : 


NUMBER  OF  MEN  AND  BOYS  EMPLOYED,  AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  AVERAGE  RATE 
OF  WAGES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY,  AND  AVERAGE  10-HOUR  DAYS  WORKED,  FOR  EACH  COAL¬ 
MINING  COMPANY. 


Name  of  company. 

Number 
of  men 
and 
boys. 

Average 

annual 

earnings. 

Average 
rate  per 
10-hour 
day. 

Average 

10-hour 

•days 

worked. 

Philadelphia  and  Reading . •. . 

15, 843 
791 

$402. 37 

$1.66 

242 

Temple  Iron  Co . 

384. 55 

1.58 

243 

Delaware  and  Hudson  Co  . 

6, 611 
5, 639 
1,603 
2,416 
2,678 

375. 18 

Delaware  Laelrawanna  and  Western  . 

369. 24 

Hillside  Coal  and  Tron  Co . . . 

359. 53 

1.55 

232 

Scranton  Coal  Co  . 

331. 07 

Pennsylvania  Coal  Co . 

307. 44 

1.48 

207 

The  consolidated  average  for  the  foregoing  companies,  embrac¬ 
ing  35,581  men  and  boys,  gives  a  general  average  annual  earning  of 
$377. 76.  CO 

These  considerations  seem  to  indicate  that  it  is  just  to  reduce  the 
hours  per  day  for  company  men.  This  change,  owing  to  the  peculiar 
conditions  obtaining  in  the  premises,  and  already  discussed,  should 
not  result  in  any  decrease  in  the  output  of  the  mines. 

The  Commission  thinks  it  just,  therefore,  that  the  demand  for  a 
reduction  in  time  as  to  these  classes  of  employees  should  be  met,  and 
a  careful  consideration  of  all  the  facts  bearing  upon  the  situation  has 
brought  it  to  the  conclusion,  that  a  reduction  of  the  hours  of  labor  from 
10  to  9  would  be  fair  to  both  employee  and  employer.  This  would 
give  the  employees  whom  we  are  now  considering  practically  a  wage 
increase  of  11|  per  cent,  for  the  reason  that,  working  the  number  of 
hours  they  now  work,  which  is  generally  less  than  9  each  day,  they 
would  be  paid  for  hours  in  which  they  actually  work,  at  the  hourly 
rate  for  a  9-hour  day,  instead  of  at  that  for  a  10-hour  day.  For  exam¬ 
ple,  in  case  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company  the  average  hours 
of  breaker  time  per  start  is  7,  and  the  company  men  (with  the  exclu¬ 
sions  referred  to)  who  now  receive,  say,  $1.50  a  da}r  for  10  hours’ 
work,  would,  under  the  conditions  of  a  9-hour  day,  receive  one-ninth, 
instead  of  one-tenth,  of  $1.50  as  their  rate  per  hour  for  7  hours’ 
work,  or  16f  cents  instead  of  15  cents  per  hour. 

The  Commission,  therefore,  considers,  and  so  adjudges  and  awards: 
That  all  employees  or  company  men,  other  than  those  for  whom  the 
Commission  makes  special  awards,  be  paid  an  increase  of  10  per  cent 
on  their  earnings  between  November  1,  1902,  and  April  1,  1903,  to  be 
paid  on  or  before  June  1,  1903;  and  a  like  allowance  shall  be  paid  to 
the  legal  representatives  of  such  employees  as  may  have  died  since 
November  1,  1902;  and  that  from  and  after  April  1,  1903,  and  during 
the  life  of  this  award,  they  shall  be  paid  on  the  basis  of  a  9-hour  day, 
receiving  therefor  the  same  wages  as  were  paid  in  April,  1902,  for  a 
10-hour  day.  Overtime  in  excess  of  9  hours  in  any  day  to  be  paid  at 
a  proportional  rate  per  hour. 


«  Erroneously  printed  $374.60  in  advance  copies  of  this  Report. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  57 


III.— DEMAND  EOR  PAYMENT  BY  WEIGHT. 


The  third  demand  of  the  miners  is  for  “the  adoption  of  a  system 
by  which  coal  shall  be  weighed  and  paid  for  by  weight  wherever 
practicable,  the  minimum  rate  per  ton  to  be  60  cents  for  a  legal  ton  of 
2,240  pounds,  the  differentials  now  existing  at  the  various  mines  to  be 
maintained.”* 

To  the  question  raised  by  this  demand  the  Commission  has  devoted 
much  thought  and  attention.  It  finds,  as  is  not  surprising  in  attempts 
to  change  conditions  of  life  or  work  which  have  been  the  outcome  of 
years  of  experience  and  which  affect  large  numbers  of  persons,  that 
great  care  is  required  to  avoid  embarrassing  the  situation  in  the 


endeavor  to  amend  it. 

We  are  met  at  the  outset  with  the  fact  that  there  has  existed  in  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania  (whose  laws  govern  the  industry)  since  March 
30,  1875,  a  statute,  which  would  seem,  on  its  face,  of  controlling  force 
in  this  regard.  .As  contained  in  Pepper  &  Lewis’s  Digest  of  the  Laws 
of  Pennsylvania,  page  3057,  the  statute  is  as  follows: 


1.  Anthracite  coal  to  be  weighed  as  mined. — All  persons,  part¬ 
nerships,  associations  and  corporations  engaged  in  the  mining  of 
anthracite  coal  in  this  Commonwealth  shall  provide  and  erect  at  each 
of  their  coal  mines,  or  collieries,  standard  and  lawful  scales  for  weighing 
the  coal  mined  therein,  and  each  and  every  miner’s  coal  shall  be  sepa^ 
rately  and  accurately  weighed  on  said  scale  before  said  coal  is  dumped 
and  taken  from  the  cars  on  which  said  miner  loaded  it  in  said  mine  or 
colliery,  and  a  separate  and  an  accurate  account  shall  be  kept  by  all 
said  persons,  partnerships,  associations  and  corporations  of  the  num¬ 
ber  of  pounds  of  coal  mined  by  each  miner  as  aforesaid;  and  the  miners 
in  each  mine  shall  have  the  right  to  employ,  at  their -own  expense, 
and  keep  a  weighm aster  at  each  of  said  scales  to  inspect  said  scales, 
and  also  keep  an  account  of  the  number  of  pounds  of  coal  mined  by 
each  miner;  and  the  miners  at  each  mine  or  colliery  shall  be  paid  at 
the  rate  of  so  much  per  pound  for  amount  of  coal  mined  by  them,  and 
the  pound  weight  shall  be  the  basis  from  which  to  calculate  the  earnings 
at  all  mines  or  collieries:  Provided ,  That  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall 
apply  only  to  mines  or  collieries  in  which  the  coal  mined  has  heretofore 
been  paid  for  by  the  car,  and  that  this  act  shall  not  go  into  effect  until 
sixty  days  after  the  approval  by  the  governor:  And  provided  further , 
That  if  any  of  said  persons,  partnerships,  associations  or  corporations 
shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this  act,  he  or 
they  so  neglecting  or  refusing  shall  forfeit  and  pay,  for  every  day  (of) 
said  neglect  or  refusal  after  said  sixty  days,  to  the  Commonwealth  of 
Pennsylvania  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars,  the  same  to  be  sued  for 
and  recovered  in  an  action  of  debt  in  the  court  of  common  pleas,  having 
jurisdiction  of  the  territory  in  which  said  mines  or  collieries  may  be 
situate,  the  writs  in  said  action  to  be  served  on  the  said  persons,  part¬ 
nerships,  associations  or  corporations,  or  the  superintendents,  agents, 
or  clerks  of  said  persons,  partnerships,  associations  or  corporations 
resident  within  the  jurisdiction  of  said  court:  And  provided  further. 
That  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  not  apply  to  or  embrace  any  per- 


58  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

sons,  partnerships,  associations  or  corporations  that  may  or  shall  by 
any  contract  agree  with  his  or  their  miners  in  any  of  said  mines  or 
collieries,  otherwise  than  as  is  provided  in  this  act,  for  the  compensation 
of  mining  the  same,  and  no  penalty  provided  therein  shall  apply  to 
such  persons,  partnerships,  associations  or  corporations  so  contract¬ 
ing  or  agreeing. 

It  may  seem  strange,  but  from  all  the  evidence  before  the  Commis¬ 
sion  the  undoubted  fact  appears  to  be,  that  the  requirements  of  this  law 
have  never  been  complied  with.  It  is  alleged  by  the  counsel  for  the 
operators,  that  they  have  never  been  applicable,  for  the  reason  that 
the  situation  came  within  the  purview  of  the  last  proviso  of  the  section 
quoted,  which  exempts  from  its  provisions  all  cases  where  the  employer 
shall  by  contract  agree  with  his  miners,  otherwise  than  is  provided  in 
the  said  statute,  for  their  compensation. 

Attention  in  this  connection  should  be  called  to  a  law  approved 
June  13,  1883,  making  the  following  provision: 

All  individuals,  firms  and  corporations  engaged  in  mining  coal  in 
the  Commonwealth,  who,  instead  of  dumping  all  the  cars  that  come 
from  the  mine  into  a  breaker  or  shoots,  shall  switch  out  one  or  more 
of  the  cars  for  the  purpose  of  examining  them,  and  determining  the 
actual  amount  of  slate  or  refuse,  by  removing  said  slate  or  refuse 
from  the  car,  and  who  shall,  after  so  doing,  willfully  neglect  to  allow 
the  miner  in  full  for  all  clean  coal  left  after  the  refuse,  dirt  or  slate  is 
taken  out,  at  the  same  rate  paid  at  the  mine  for  clean  coal,  less  the 
actual  expense  of  removing  said  slate  or  refuse,  (he)  shall  be  deemed 
guilty  of  a  misdemeanor. 

What  the  present  state  of  the  statute  law  in  Pennsylvania  may 
be,  is  of  course  a  question  for  the  courts  of  that  State,  and  as  we 
have  not  been  referred  to  any  decision  of  those  courts  which  passes 
upon  this  question,  or  definitely  upon  that  of  the  constitutionality  of 
the  law  of  1875;  assuming  it  to  be  in  force,  the  Commission  finds  the  situ¬ 
ation  embarrassing.  It  is  a  fact,  however,  that  during  this  whole  period 
of  twenty-eight  years  since  the  passage  of  this  act  no  question  seems  to 
have  been  raised  as  to  its  requirements,  or  complaint  made  that  they 
have  been  violated,  or  the  prescribed  penalty  invoked  for  any  alleged 
violation  thereof.  The  inference  is  not  unfairly  drawn  from  this  state 
of  things,  that  the  situation  with  which  the  statute  purported  to  deal, 
has  been,  on  the  whole,  not  unsatisfactory  to  either  miners  or  operators, 
and  that  the  provisions  of  the  statute  referred  to  never  attracted  the 
notice  of  the  parties  affected,  and  were  thus  practically  ignored. 

Whether  intentionally  or  not,  the  contracts,  expressed  or  implied, 
for  compensation  otherwise  than  by  weight,  have  probabty  brought 
the  matter  within  the  terms  of  the  proviso  of  the  law  of  1875,  and  serve 
to  relieve  the  parties  from  the  imputation  of  having  disregarded  the 
obligations  of  that  law. 

It  was  understood  at  the  hearings,  that  the  representatives  of  both 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  59 

sides  assented  to  the  proposition,  that  the  agreement  to  abide  by  the 
award  of  this  Commission  comes  within  the  purview  of  the  proviso  in 
the  law  of  1875,  referred  to,  and  constitutes  an  agreement  under  that 
statute. 

The  situation  being  thus  anomalous,  the  Commission  has  not  been 
able  to  see  clearly  its  way  to  an  attempt  to  change  it  by  an  obligatory 
award.  Any  measure  of  work  performed,  as  a  basis  for  payment, 
must  in  a  certain  sense  be  arbitrary.  Payment  by  the  car,  by  the  ton, 
or  by  the  yard,  is  the  result  of  an  agreement  between  presumably 
intelligent  parties,  and  all  the  circumstances  attending  either  method 
are  matters  for  their  consideration.  If  a  miners’  ton  of  28  hundred¬ 
weight  is  taken  as  the  basis  of  payment,  the  price  for  such  ton  is  fixed 
with  reference  to  its  size.  So  of  payment  by  the  car  or  by  the  yard. 
The  suggestion  is  not  lost  sight  of  that  the  miners’  ton  of,  say,  28 
hundredweight,  was  fixed  at  a  time  when  the  sizes  of  coal  below  pea 
were  not  marketable,  and  that  now  they  are.  This  is  true;  but  there 
may  be  other  considerations,  and  the  operators  assert  that  there  are, 
which  justice  to  them  requires  should  be  taken  into  the  account.  For 
example,  lump  and  grate  sizes  are  not  marketed  now  to  the  extent  that 
they  were  formerly,  but  are  for  the  most  part  passed  through  the 
breaker  and  reduced  to  domestic  and  smaller  sizes.  The  cost  of  this 
process  and  the  waste  consequent  thereon  are  borne  by  the  operator. 

However  this  may  be,  the  Commission  is  not  now  prepared  to 
say,  that  the  change  to  payment  by  weight,  based  on  a  2,210  pound 
ton,  when  the  price  would  necessarily  be  adjusted  to  the  number  of 
pounds — practically  the  case  now — would  prove  of  sufficient  benefit  to 
the  miners  to  compensate  for  the  expense  and  trouble  thereby  imposed 
upon  operators  now  paying  by  the  car.  Many  of  the  operators,  in 
order  to  accommodate  themselves  to  the  change,  would  have  to  recon¬ 
struct  the  breakers,  or  place  the  scales  at  the  foot  of  the  shaft,  and, 
when  there  is  more  than  one  level  in  the  mine,  at  the  foot  of  each 
Aevel. 

At  the  hearings,  it  was  agreed  by  counsel  for  the  Philadelphia  and 
Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company  and  counsel  for  the  striking  miners, 
that  the  third  demand— the  payment  for  coal  by  weight — should  be 
withdrawn  so  far  as  that  company  is  concerned,  as  it  pays  for  coal  by 
the  yard  in  most  of  its  collieries. 

It  should  not  pass  without  comment,  that  the  demand  for  a  change  to 
the  weight  system  is  accompanied  by  the  condition  that  the  minimum 
rate  per  ton  of  2,210  pounds  should  be  60  cents,  the  differentials  now 
existing  at  the  various  mines  to  be  maintained.  This  demand  could 
not  have  been  made  in  full  understanding  of  its  practical  effect,  for 
coal  is  now  mined  at  a  cost  varying  from  19  to  59  cents  a  ton,  the 
miner’s  earnings  being  up  to  the  average  level.  Sixty  cents  per  ton 
of  2,210  pounds  as  a  minimum,  and  the  maintenance  of  differentials 


60  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


now  existing  in  the  various  mines  on  that  basis,  would  result  in  many 
instances  in  an  increase  of  300  per  cent  over  present  cost,  and  would 
throw  into  confusion  the  whole  matter  of  compensation  and  the  busi¬ 
ness  of  mining. 

On  these,  and  other  grounds,  more  generally  discussed  elsewhere 
in  this  report,  the  Commission  refrains  from  fixing  a  standard  ton 
where  coal  is  paid  for  by  weight,  and  from  imposing  upon  owners  of 
collieries  where  coal  now  mined  is  paid  for  by  the  car  the  obligation 
to  pay  by  weight  and  to  make  the  changes  in  plant  necessary  there¬ 
for;  and  it,  therefore,  adjudges  and  awards:  That  during  the  life  of 
this  award  the  present  methods  of  payment  for  coal  mined,  shall  be 
adhered  to,  unless  changed  by  mutual  agreement. 


IV.— DEMAND  FOR  AN  AGREEMENT  WITH  UNITED  MINE 

WORKERS  OF  AMERICA. 

i 

The  fourth  and  last  demand  of  the  miners  is  as  follows: 

The  incorporation  in  an  agreement  between  the  United  Mine  Work¬ 
ers  of  America  and  the  anthracite  coal  companies  of  the  wages  which 
shall  be  paid  and  the  conditions  of  employment  which  shall  obtain, 
together  with  satisfactory  methods  for  the  adjustment  of  grievances 
which  may  arise  from  time  to  time,  to  the  end  that  strikes  and  lock¬ 
outs  may  be  unnecessary. 

The  Commission  is  constrained  to  decline  making  an  award,  which 
would  compel  an  agreement  by  the  operators  with  the  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America;  for  however  importantly  that  order  may  have 
participated  in  the  strike  which  was  inaugurated  on  the  12th  of  May 
last,  and  in  its  subsequent  conduct,  it  is  not  a  party  to  this  submission. 
It  was  distinctly  stated  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  Commission,  that 
the  president  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  appeared 
before  the  Commission  as  the  representative  of  the  mine  workers  in 
the  anthracite  region,  on  whose  behalf  had  been  made  the  demands 
which  have  since  been  incorporated  in  the  formal  statement  of  claim 
filed.  It  is  the  striking  anthracite  mine  workers,  who  appear  before 
the  Commission  as  the  pursuing  party.  It  is  true  that  they  have 
been  represented,  and  ably  represented,  before  the  Commission  by 
Mr.  Mitchell,  but  in  so  representing  them  he  appeared  “  as  the  repre¬ 
sentative  of  the  anthracite  coal  mine  workers,”  and  not  in  his  official 
character  as  president  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America. a 


«At  the  hearing  before  the  Commission  on  October  27,  Mr.  Baer,  representing  the 
Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  made  the  following  statement: 

“I  am  anxious  to  have  one  thing  clearly  understood,  because  it  may  lead  to  com¬ 
plications,  and  it  might  as  well  be  stated  now  as  at  any  other  time.  We  have  no 
objection  to  Mr.  Mitchell  appearing  here  to  represent  miners  in  the  Schuylkill  region; 
but  under  the  terms  of  the  submission  to  you  we  have  expressly  excluded  the  miners’ 
organization,  because  it  is  a  bituminous  organization  partly,  and  we  can  not  consent 
to  Mr.  Mitchell’s  appearing  here  as  the  representative  and  as  the  president  of  that 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  ()1 

Nor  does  the  Commission  consider  that  the  question  of  the  recogni¬ 
tion  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  is  within  the  scope  of 
the  jurisdiction  conferred  upon  it  by  the  submission. 

The  first  appearance  of  this  demand,  so  far  as  this  Commission  is 
concerned,  was  at  its  meeting  on  the  27th  of  October  last.  It  is  there¬ 
fore  evident,  that  it  was  not  considered  one  of  the  issues,  when  the 
submission  was  suggested  by  the  operators  in  their  letter  to  the  public, 
and  accepted  by  the  striking  miners  in  their  convention  of  October  21. 

The  Commission  feels,  however,  that  it  is  incumbent  upon  it  to  give 
some  expression  to  its  views  on  the  general  question.  From  the  cor¬ 
respondence  which  passed  between  the  coal  operators  and  the  officers 
of  the  United  Mine  Workers  prior  to  the  strike,  and  which  has  been 
cited  under  the  heading  “  History  and  causes  of  the  strike,”  from  the 
voluminous  testimony  presented  during  the  hearings  before  the  Com¬ 
mission,  and  from  the  arguments  of  counsel  and  others,  with  which 
the  public  hearings  dosed,  the  Commission  is  led  to  the  conviction, 
that  the  question  of  the  recognition  of  the  union  and  of  dealing  with 
the  mine  workers  through  their  union,  was  considered  by  both  oper¬ 
ators  and  miners  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  involved  in  the 
controversy  which  culminated  in  the  strike. 

The  order,  as  its  name  implies,  is  an  organization  to  membership  in 
which  all  workers  who  “produce  or  handle  coal  or  coke  in  or  around 
the  mines”  are  eligible.  It  claims  a  jurisdiction  coextensive  with  the 
coal-producing  industry  in  America.  Its  purpose,  as  stated  in  its  con¬ 
stitution  (which  is  printed  in  full  on  pages  203  to  214),  is  to  unite  the 
mine  workers  and  "‘ameliorate  their  condition  by  methods  of  concilia¬ 
tion,  arbitration,  or  strikes.”  The  members  of  the  union  assert,  that 
they  have  a  right  to  form  themselves  into  a  union,  choose  their  officers, 
and  delegate  to  those  officers  authority  to  represent  and  speak  or  bar¬ 
gain  for  them.  They  contend  that  if  a  majority  of  the  employees  of 
a  colliery,  or  of  a  mining  company,  are  members  of  the  union,  the 
union  has  a  right  to  negotiate  for  the  services  of  the  employees  of 
that  colliery  or  company,  in  their  collective  capacity. 

The  operators  assert  that  they  have  no  objection  to  their  employees 
joining  a  union  or  labor  organization.  They  say  their  refusal  to 
recognize  and  deal  with  the  United  Mine  Workers,  as  at  present 
constituted,  is  based  on  the  fact  that  the  majority  of  the  members 

organization.  So  far  as  he  appears  here  to  represent  any  of  the  miners  in  the  anthra¬ 
cite  region  that  are  in  our  employ,  we  have  no  objection,  and  we  raise  no  question 
about  it;  but  we  do  not  want  him  to  appear  on  the  record  as  president  of  the  United 
Mine  Workers,  because  we  have  distinctly  stated  in  the  paper  from  which  you  have 
derived  your  authority  to  the  President  that  we  will  not  deal  with  that  organization.” 

In  reply  to  the  foregoing,  Mr.  Mitchell  said: 

“As  to  the  matter  of  my  status  before  the  Commission,  I  desire  to  say  that  the 
objections  that  have  been  filed  are  not  involved.  I  appear  here  as  the  representative 
of  the  anthracite  coal  mine  workers.” 


62  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

of  the  union  are  employed  in  the  bituminous  coal  fields;  that  the 
officers  are  chiefly  from  those  fields  and  not  well  acquainted  with 
the  work  of  mining  anthracite  coal;  that  to  deal  with  them 
would  be  dealing  with  an  organization  which  is  controlled  by  men 
engaged  in  a  rival  industry,  bituminous  and  anthracite  coal  mining 
being  considered  by  them  as  competitive  or  rival  industries,  so  far  as 
the  use  of  anthracite  for  steam-producing  purposes  is  concerned.  The 
assertion  is  made  that  operators  in  bituminous  fields  contributed  lib¬ 
erally  to  the  striking  anthracite  miners,  in  order  to  continue  the 
advantages  which  accrued  to  the  bituminous  coal  industry  from  the 
suspension  of  work  in  the  anthracite  region;  and  it  is  also  alleged  and 
proved,  that  the  local  unions  in  the  anthracite  fields  are,  to  some  extent, 
controlled  by  the  votes  of  young  bo}^,  who  are  admitted  to  member¬ 
ship  and  who  are,  through  their  youth  and  lack  of  experience,  want¬ 
ing  in  judgment,  and,  so  far,  irresponsible. 

Great  stress  is  laid  upon  the  accusation  that  the  United  Mine  Workers’ 
union  resorts  to  and  encourages  lawlessness  and  violence  in  its  efforts 
to  accomplish  its  purposes  or  desires. 

The  demands  of  the  mine  workers  having  been  made  through  their 
union,  any  adjustment  which  might  have  been  effected  between  the 
operators  and  the  officers  of  the  organization,  would  have  carried  with 
it  more  or  less  direct  recognition  of  the  union.  The  agreement  to  sub¬ 
mit  the  disputed  points  to  the  decision  of  this  Commission,  was  sub¬ 
scribed  to  by  the  presidents  of  the  large  anthracite  mining  and 
transportation  companies  on  the  one  side,  and  by  a  convention  of  anthra¬ 
cite  mine  workers,  members  of  the  union,  on  the  other.  The  submis¬ 
sion  provides  that  this  Commission  shall  determine  the  questions 
at  issue  between  the  several  operators  and  44  their  respective  employees, 
whether  the  latter  belong  to  a  union  or  not,”  and  shall  fix  the  rates  of 
wages  and  hours  and  conditions  of.  labor  for  a  period  of  not  less  than 
three  years. 

Whatever  the  jurisdiction  of  this  Commission,  under  the  submis¬ 
sion  may  be,  the  suggestion  of  a  working  agreement  between  employ¬ 
ers  and  employees  embodying  the  doctrine  of  collective  bargaining  is 
one  which  the  Commission  believes  contains  many  hopeful  elements 
for  the  adjustment  of  relations  in  the  mining  regions,  but  it  does  not 
see  that,  under  the  terms  of  the  submission  from  which  the  powers  of 
the  Commission  are  derived,  such  an  agreement  can  be  made  to  take 
the  place  of,  or  become  part  of,  its  award. 

In  the  days  when  the  employer  had  but  few  employees,  personal 
acquaintance  and  direct  contact  of  the  employer  and  the  employee, 
resulted  in  mutual  knowledge  of  the  surrounding  conditions  and 
the  desires  of  each.  The  development  of  the  employers  into  large 
corporations,  has  rendered  such  personal  contact  and  acquaintance 
between  the  responsible  employer  and  the  individual  employee,  no 


REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  63 

longer  possible  in  the  old  sense.  The  tendency  toward  peace  and  good- 
fellowship  which  grows  out  of  personal  acquaintance  or  direct  contact 
should  not,  however,  be  lost  through  this  evolution  to  greater  combi¬ 
nations.  There  seems  to  be  no  medium  through  which  to  preserve  it, 
so  natural  and  efficient  as  that  of  an  organization  of  employees  gov¬ 
erned  by  rules  which  represent  the  will  of  a  properly  constituted 
majority  of  its  members,  and  officered  by  members  selected  for  that 
purpose,  and  in  whom  authority  to  administer  the  rules  and  affairs  of 
the  union  and  its  members  is  vested. 

The  men’  employed  in  a  certain  line  of  work  or  branch  of  industry, 
have  similar  feelings,  aspirations,  and  convictions,  the  natural  out¬ 
growth  of  their  common  work  and  common  trend  or  application  of 
mind.  The  union,  representing  their  community  of  interests,  is  the 
logical  result  of  their  community  of  thought.  It  encourages  calm  and 
intelligent  consideration  of  matters  of  common  interest.  In  the  absence 
of  a  union,  the  extremist  gets  a  ready  hearing  for  incendiary  appeals 
to  prejudice  or  passion,  when  a  grievance,  real  or  fancied,  of  a  general 
nature,  presents  itself  for  consideration. 

The  claim  of  the  worker  that  he  has  the  same  right  to  join  with  his 
fellows  in  forming  an  organization,  through  which  to  be  represented, 
that  the  stockholder  of  the  corporation  has  to  join  others  in 
forming  the  corporation,  and  to  be  represented  by  its  directors  and 
other  officers,  seems  to  be  thoroughly  well  founded,  not  only  in  ethics 
but  under  economic  considerations.  Some  employers  say  to  their 
employees:  “We  do  not  object  to  your  joining  the  union,  but  we  will 
not  recognize  your  union  nor  deal  with  it  as  representing  you.”  If 
the  union  is  to  be  rendered  impotent,  and  its  usefulness  is  to  be  nullified 
by  refusing  to  permit  it  to  perform  the  functions  for  which  it  is  cre¬ 
ated,  and  for  which  alone  it  exists,  permission  to  join  it  may  well  be 
considered  as  a  privilege  of  doubtful  value. 

Trades  unionism  is  rapidly  becoming  a  matter  of  business,  and  that 
employer  who  fails  to  give  the  same  careful  attention  to  the  question 
of  his  relation  to  his  labor  or  his  employees,  which  he  gives  to  the  other 
factors  which  enter  into  the  conduct  of  his  business,  makes  a  mistake, 
which  sooner  or  later  he  will  be  obliged  to  correct.  In  this,  as  in 
other  things,  it  is  much  better  to  start  right  than  to  make  mistakes  in 
starting,  which  necessitate  returning  to  correct  them.  Experience 
shows  that  the  more  full  the  recognition  given  to  a  trades  union,  the 
more  businesslike  and  responsible  it  becomes.  Through  dealing  with 
business  men  in  business  matters,  its  more  intelligent,  conservative, 
and  responsible  members  come  to  the  front  and  gain  general  control 
and  direction  of  its  affairs.  If  the  energy  of  the  employer  is  directed 
to  discouragement  and  repression  of  the  union,  he  need  not  be  sur¬ 
prised  if  the  more  radically  inclined  members  are  the  ones  most 
frequently  heard. 


64  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

The  Commission  agrees  that  a  plan,  under  which  all  questions  of 
difference  between  the  employer  and  his  employees,  shall  first  be  con¬ 
sidered  in  conference  between  the  employer  or  his  official  representa¬ 
tive  and  a  committee,  chosen  by  his  employees  from  their  own  ranks, 
is  most  likely  to  produce  satisfactory  results  and  harmonious  rela¬ 
tions,  and  at  such  conference  the  employees  should  have  the  right  to 
call  to  their  assistance  such  representatives  or  agents  as  they  may 
choose,  and  to  have  them  recognized  as  such. 

In  order  to  be  entitled  to  such  recognition,  the  labor  organization  or 
union  must  give  the  same  recognition  to  the  rights  of  the  employer 
and  of  others,  which  it  demands  for  itself  and  for  its  members.  The 
worker  has  the  right  to  quit  or  to  strike  in  conjunction  with  his 
fellows,  when  by  so  doing  he  does  not  violate  a  contract  made  by  or 
for  him.  He  has  neither  right  nor  license  to  destroy  or  to  damage 
the  property  of  the  employer;  neither  has  he  any  right  or  license  to 
intimidate  or  to  use  violence  against  the  man  who  chooses  to  exercise 
his  right  to  work,  nor  to  interfere  with  those  who  do  not  feel  that  the 
union  offers  the  best  method  for  adjusting  grievances. 

The  union  must  not  undertake  to  assume,  or  to  interfere  with,  the 
management  of  the  business  of  the  employer.  It  should  strive  to 
make  membership  in  it  so  valuable  as  to  attract  all  who  are  eligible, 
but  in  its  efforts  to  build  itself  up,  it  must  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that 
those  who  may  think  differently,  have  certain  rights  guaranteed  them 
by  our  free  government.  However  irritating  it  may  be  to  see  a  man 
enjoy  benefits  to  the  securing  of  which  he  refuses  to  contribute,  either 
morally,  or  physically,  or  financially,  the  fact  that  he  has  a  right  to 
dispose  of  his  personal  services  as  he  chooses,  can  not  be  ignored. 
The  nonunion  man  assumes  the  whole  responsibility  which  results  from 
his  being  such,  but  his  right  and  privilege  of  being  a  nonunion  man 
are  sanctioned  in  law  and  morals.  The  rights  and  privileges  of  non¬ 
union  men  are  as  sacred  to  them  as  the  rights  and  privileges  of  union¬ 
ists.  The  contention  that  a  majority  of  the  employees  in  an  industry, 
by  voluntarily  associating  themselves,  in  a  union,  acquire  authority 
over  those  who  do  not  so  associate  themselves  is  untenable. 

Those  who  voluntarily  associate  themselves,  believe  that  in  their 
efforts  to  improve  conditions,  they  are  working  as  much  in  the  interest 
of  the  unorganized  as  in  their  own,  and  out  of  this  grows  the  conten¬ 
tion  that  when  a  nonunion  man  works  during  a  strike,  he  violates  the 
rights  and  privileges  of  those  associated,  in  efforts  to  better  the  general 
condition,  and  in  aspirations  to  a  higher  standard  of  living.  The 
nonunion  man,  who  does  not  believe  that  the  union  can  accomplish 
these  things,  insists  with  equal  sincerity  that  the  union  destroys  his 
efforts  to  secure  a  better  standard  of  living,  and  interferes  with  his 
aspirations  for  improvement.  The  fallacy  of  such  argument  lies  in 
the  use  of  the  analogy  of  State  government,  under  which  the  minority 
acquiesces  in  the  rule  of  the  majority;  but  government  is  the  result  of 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


65 


organic  law,  within  the  scope  of  which  no  other  government  can 
assume  authority  to  control  the  minority.  In  all  acts  of  government 
the  minority  takes  part,  and  when  it  is  defeated  the  government 
becomes  the  agency  of  all,  not  simply  of  the  majority. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  the  trade  union  is  a  voluntary  social 
organization,  and,  like  any  other  organization,  is  subordinate  to  the 
laws  of  the  land  and  can  not  make  rules  or  regulations  in  contra¬ 
vention  thereof.  Yet  it  at  times  seeks  to  set  itself  up  as  a  separate 
and  distinct  governing  agency  and  to  control  those  who  have  refused 
to  join  its  ranks  and  to  consent  to  its  government,  and  to  deny  to 
them  the  personal  liberties  which  are  guaranteed  to  every  citizen  by 
the  constitution  and  laws  of  the  land.  The  analogy,  therefore,  is 
unsound  and  does  not  apply.  Abraham  Lincoln  said,  uNo  man  is 
good  enough  to  govern  another  man  without  that  other’s  consent.” 
This  is  as  true  in  trade  unions  as  elsewhere,  and  not  until  those  which 
fail  to  recognize  this  truth  abandon  their  attitude  toward  nonunion 
men,  and  follow  the  suggestion  made  above — that  is,  to  make  their 
work  and  their  membership  so  valuable  and  attractive,  that  all  who 
are  eligible  to  membership  will  come  under  their  rule — will  they 
secure  that  firm  and  constant  sympathy  of  the  public,  which  their 
general  purposes  seem  to  demand. 

W  e  believe  it  is  unwise  and  impolitic,  to  permit  boys  of  immature 
age  and  judgment  to  participate  in  deciding  the  polic}r  and  actions  of 
a  labor  union.  We  think  that  no  one  should  have  such  voice  in  the 
affairs  of  a  union,  until  he  has  reached  his  legal  majority.  Those 
affairs  are  momentous  and  are  of  growing  importance.  They  should 
be  directed  by  men  who  have  a  realizing  sense  of  the  responsibilities 
of  life,  both  as  to  family,  as  to  associates,  and  as  to  society.  This 
does  not  mean,  of  course,  that  minors  should  not  belong  to  the  union, 
but  they  should  not  act  as,  nor  vote  for,  delegates  to  conventions 
which  consider  or  determine  strikes. 

The  present  constitution  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America 
does  not  present  the  most  inviting  inducements  to  the  operators  to 
enter  into  contractual  relations  with  it.  Minors  are  represented  in 
conventions  called  for  the  consideration  of  strikes;  while  boys  do  not 
go  as  delegates,  only  one  case  having  been  noted,  they  send  delegates 
to  such  conventions;  and  as  the  boys  in  the  union  in  the  anthracite 
region  constitute  about  20  per  cent  of  the  membership,  it  is  easily 
seen  that  their  representatives,  who  may  be  obliged  to  act  on  instruc¬ 
tions,  may  have  the  balance  of  power,  and  thus  carry  a  vote  for  a 
strike  when  the  more  conservative  and  experienced  members  might  be 
opposed  to  it. 

Under  the  recently  amended  constitution  of  the  United  Mine  Workers 
of  America,  strikes  must  originate  with  the  locals  or  districts;  (a)  but 

a  See  Article  X  of  the  constitution,  pages  212,  213  of  this  Report. 


S.  Doc.  6 - 5 


66  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


before  final  action  is  taken  by  any  district  upon  questions  that  directly  or 
indirectly  affect  the  interests  of  the  mine  workers  of  another  district,  or 
that  require  a  strike  to  determine  such  questions,  the  president  and  sec¬ 
retary  of  the  aggrieved  district  must  jointly  prepare,  sign,  and  forward 
to  the  national  president,  a  written  statement  setting  forth  the  grievance 
complained  of,  the  action  contemplated  by  the  district,  and  the  reasons 
therefor;  and  the  national  president  must,  within  five  da}7s  after  the 
receipt  of  such  statement,  either  approve  or  disapprove  of  the  action 
contemplated  by  the  aggrieved  district,  such  approval  or  disapproval 
to  be  made  in  writing  and  a  copy  forwarded  to  the  secretary  of  the 
complaining  district.  If  the  national  president  approve,  the  district 
is  free  to  act;  but  should  he  disapprove  the  contemplated  strike,  the 
district  may  appeal  to  the  national  executive  board,  which  must  be 
convened  to  consider  such  appeal  within  five  days  after  its  receipt. 
Until  the  national  president  has  approved  or  the  national  executive 
board  has  sustained  the  appeal,  no  district  is  free  to  enter  upon  a  strike, 
unless  it  be  general  or  national,  ordered  by  a  national  convention. 

These  provisions  give  the  districts  in  the  anthracite  region  quite 
independent  powers  relative  to  the  initiation  of  a  strike,  and  their 
powers  are  in  a  measure  safeguarded  by  the  necessity  of  first  securing 
the  approval  of  the  national  president,  or,  in  case  of  his  disapproval, 
of  the  national  executive  board.  The  difficulty  does  not  lie  so  much 
in  the  method  now  pursued  as  in  the  fact  that  a  strike  may  be  under¬ 
taken  by  a  majority  vote  of  the  members  of  a  district  convention 
called  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  strike.  This  is  considered  a 
weakness  in  the  present  method.  Instead  of  a  majority  vote  there 
should  be  at  least  a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  the  delegates  in  the  conven¬ 
tion  considering  the  question  of  a  strike.  The  vote  should  be  by 
ballot,  and  not  by  voice,  or  show  of  hands.  An  amendment  to  the 
constitution,  making  such  provisions  as  those  just  indicated,  and  cre¬ 
ating  a  separate  anthracite  department,  so  far  as  strikes  are  concerned, 
would  remove  some  of  the  serious  objections  that  have  been  urged  by 
the  operators. 

An  independent  and  autonomous  organization  of  the  anthracite  mine 
workers  of  Pennsylvania,  however  affiliated,  in  which  the  objectionable 
features  above  alluded  to  should  be  absent,  would  deserve  the  recom¬ 
mendation  of  this  Commission,  and,  were  it  within  the  scope  of  its 
jurisdiction,  the  said  fourth  demand  of  the  statement  of  claim,  for  col¬ 
lective  bargaining  and  a  trade  agreement  might  then  be  reasonably 
granted. 

The  Commission  has  carefully  considered  and  has  outlined  a  plan  for 
an  organization  for  the  execution  of  trade  agreements  in  the  anthracite 
region,  to  which  thoughtful  attention  is  called,  and  which  is  printed  in 
full  as  an  appendix.  (a) 

When  under  the  award  the  parties  have  faithfully  obeyed  its  terms 


a  See  pages  227  to  229. 


REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  67 

and  thus  learned  to  deal  with  each  other,  a  trade  agreement  between 
operators  and  an  anthracite  mine  workers’  organization  may  commend 
itself  to  both  sides.  We  believe  this,  especially  when  it  is  considered 
that  in  other  directions,  and  in  other  industries,  such  agreements  have 
been  made  and  adhered  to  for  terms  of  years,  completely  avoiding 
strikes  and  labor  controversies  generally.  Of  course,  here  and  there 
in  the  bituminous  regions,  these  agreements  may  not  have  worked 
with  perfect  satisfaction  to  both  parties,  and  in  some  districts  they 
have  been  abandoned  after  a  brief  trial,  but  on  the  whole  the  experi¬ 
ence  under  them  in  this  country,  and  in  England,  testifies  to  their  great 
usefulness  in  preserving  peace  and  harmony.  (a) 

The  Commission  is  of  opinion,  nevertheless,  that  some  satisfactory 
method  for  the  adjustment  of  grievances  which  may  arise  from  time 
to  time,  to  the  end  that  strikes  and  lockouts  may  be  unnecessary,  the 
demand  for  which  as  part  of  an  agreement  with  the  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America  is  made  in  the  fourth  claim,  just  referred  to, 
should  be  imposed  by  its  award  upon  the  parties  to  this  submission. 

It,  accordingly,  hereby  adjudges  and  awards:  That  any  difficulty  or 
disagreement  arising  under  this  award,  either  as  to  its  interpretation 
or  application,  or  in  any  way  growing  out  of  the  relations  of  the 
employers  and  employed,  which  can  not  be  settled  or  adjusted  by  con¬ 
sultation  between  the  superintendent  or  manager  of  the  mine  or 
mines,  and  the  miner  or  miners  directly  interested,  or  is  of  a  scope  too 
large  to  be  so  settled  and  adjusted,  shall  be  referred  to  a  permanent 
joint  committee,  to  be  called  a  board  of  conciliation,  to  consist  of  six 
persons,  appointed  as  hereinafter  provided.  That  is  to  say,  if  there 
shall  be  a  division  of  the  whole  region  into  three  districts,  in  each  of 
which  there  shall  exist  an  organization  representing  a  majority  of  the 
mine  workers  of  such  district,  one  of  said  board  of  conciliation  shall 
be  appointed  by  each  of  said  organizations,  and  three  other  persons 
shall  be  appointed  by  the  operators,  the  operators  in  each  of  said  dis¬ 
tricts  appointing  one  person. 

The  board  of  conciliation  thus  constituted,  shall  take  up  and  consider 
any  question  referred  to  it  as  aforesaid,  hearing  both  parties  to  the 
controvers}7,  and  such  evidence  as  ma}7  be  laid  before  it  by  either  party; 
and  any  award  made  by  a  majority  of  such  board  of  conciliation  shall 
be  final  and  binding  on  all  parties.  If,  however,  the  said  board  is 
unable  to  decide  any  question  submitted,  or  point  related  thereto, 
that  question  or  point  shall  be  referred  to  an  umpire,  to  be  appointed, 
at  the  request  of  said  board,  by  one  of  the  circuit  judges  of  the  third 
judicial  circuit  of  the  United  States,  whose  decision  shall  be  final  and 
binding  in  the  premises. 

The  membership  of  said  board  shall  at  all  times  be  kept  complete, 

a  For  English  experience  see  Bulletin  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Labor, 
No.  28,  and  for  documentary  evidence  before  Commission  see  pages  229  to  239  of  this 
Report. 


68  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


either  the  operators’  or  miners’  organizations  having  the  right,  at  any 
time  when  a  controversy  is  not  pending,  to  change  their  representa¬ 
tion  thereon. 

At  all  hearings  before  said  board  the  parties  may  be  represented  by 
such  person  or  persons  as  they  may  respectively  select. 

No  suspension  of  work  shall  take  place,  by  lockout  or  strike,  pend¬ 
ing  the  adjudication  of  any  matter  so  taken  up  for  adjustment. 

Certain  matters  outside  the  precise  terms  of  the  formal  demands  in  the 
statement  of  claim  filed  by  the  mine  workers  have  been  brought  to  the 
attention  of  the  Commission,  which  in  its  opinion,  are  germane  thereto, 
and  an  award  upon  the  same  is  deemed  by  it  necessary  to  render  more 
effective  the  awards  already  made.  These  matters  have,  all  of  them, 
been  urged  at  the  hearings  and  in  the  arguments,  and  have  been  thor¬ 
oughly  discussed  by  both  sides  to  the  controversy  as  pertinent  to  it, 
and  as  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Commission,  since  they  relate  to 
the  conditions  alluded  to  in  the  submission. 

The  following  classes  of  employees  are  not  included  within  the  pro¬ 
visions  of  the  awards  already  made,  to  wit:  Superintendents,  foremen, 
assistant  foremen,  and  bosses. 

V.— CHECK  WEIGHMEN  AND  CHECK  DOCKING  BOSSES. 

The  employment  of  check  weighmen  and  check  docking  bosses, 
would  to  a  great  extent,  relieve  the  difficulties  attending  the  payment 
for  coal  on  the  basis  of  a  2,240-pound  ton  instead  of  by  the  car,  as 
desired  under  the  third  demand.  The  chief  difficulty  of  the  payment 
for  coal  by  the  car,  lies  in  the  fact,  that  by  such  method  the  opportu¬ 
nity  exists  for  unfairness  on  the  part  of  the  operators.  It  is  this 
opportunity  which  creates  irritation  and  suspicion,  and  it  has  been 
the  subject  of  complaint  on  the  part  of  the  miners  for  a  long  time. 
The  Commission  has  striven  most  assiduously  to  discover  some  means 
by  which  the  opportunity  for  mistakes  or  injustice,  can  be  removed 
and  thus  allay  irritation  and  suspicion,  but,  as  stated,  when  discussing 
the  third  demand  of  the  miners,  it  has  felt  obliged  to  leave  the  meth¬ 
ods  of  payment  as  they  now  exist.  It  does  indulge  the  hope,  how¬ 
ever,  that  efforts  will  be  made  to  secure  some  improved,  method  of 
payment  by  mutual  agreement. 

The  Commission  also  feels  that  the  employment  of  check  weigh¬ 
men  and  check  docking  bosses  will  remove,  to  a  large  degree,  the 
suspicions  of  the  miners.  This  suggestion  is  fortified  by  much  testi¬ 
mony,  and  by  such  statistics  as  are  available  relative  to  the  percent¬ 
age  of  dockage,  where  coal  is  paid  for  by  the  car,  prior  to  the 
employment  of  check  docking  bosses,  and  thereafter.  The  statistics 
of  the  experience  of  three  companies  which  now  employ  check  docking 
bosses  show  the  following  results:  Previous  to  the  employment  of  such 
check  docking  bosses  the  percentage  of  dockage  in  the  Scranton 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  69 

Coal  Company  was,  for  one  colliery,  3.11  (of  the  carloads  of  coal  sent 
out  by  the  miners);  in  another  colliery  4.41,  and  in  another  6.46. 
Subsequent  to  the  employment  of  such  bosses  the  percentage  of  dock¬ 
age  fell  to  1.77,  2.39,  and  3.13,  respectively.  In  four  collieries  of  the 
Temple  Iron  Company,  the  percentage  previous  to  employment  of 
check  docking  bosses  was,  in  one  colliery,  4.94;  in  another,  7.10;  in 
another,  4.62,  and  in  the  fourth,  4.03,  as  against  2.34,  4.43,  2.08,  and 
1.29,  respectively,  after  the  employment  of  such  bosses.  Under  the 
Dolph  Coal  Company  the  dockage  was  4.95  per  cent  previous  to  the 
employment  of  a  check  docking  boss,  and  3.78  per  cent  subsequent 
thereto.  These  figures  show  conclusively  the  satisfactory  results  to 
be  gained  by  the  employment  of  check  docking  bosses.  Such  employ¬ 
ment  has  materially  reduced  the  amount  of  dockage  charged  to  the 
miners  for  impurities  in  the  coal  they  send  out. 

In  relation  to  check  weighmen,  who  are  employed  where  coal  is  paid 
for  by  weight,  it  is  found  that  there  has  been  some  increase  in  the 
amount  of  coal  accredited  to  the  miners,  as  against  the  amount  so 
accredited  before  the  employment  of  check  weighmen.  The  testimony 
shows  that  where  check  weighmen  are  now  employed,  the  miners 
are  credited  with  a  larger  amount  of  coal  for  which  payment  is  made, 
than  prior  to  their  employment.  It  may  be  that  the  employment  of 
check  weighmen  and  check  docking  bosses  by  the  miners,  influenced 
them  to  greater  effort  to  free  the  coal  from  impurities. 

Of  course  it  should  be  understood  that  wherever  coal  is  paid  for  b}r 
weight  the  company  has  a  weighmaster,  who  certifies  the  amount  of 
coal  to  be  paid  for,  and  where  coal  is  paid  for  by  the  carload,  a  dock¬ 
ing  boss,  who  certifies  the  amount  to  be  paid  for.  The  check  weigh¬ 
men  and  check  docking  bosses  are  inspectors,  employed  by  the  miners 
themselves,  to  watch  the  weighing  and  docking  of  coal  in  their  interest. 

The  Commission  considers  the  employment  of  check  weighmen  and 
check  docking  bosses  an  important  matter,  and,  therefore,  adjudges 
and  awards:  That  whenever  requested  by  a  majority  of  the  contract 
miners  of  an y  colliery,  check  weighmen  or  check  docking  bosses, 
or  both,  shall  be  employed.  The  wages  of  said  check  weighmen  and 
check  docking  bosses  shall  be  fixed,  collected,  and  paid  by  the  miners, 
in  such  manner  as  the  said  miners  shall  by  a  majority  vote  elect;  and 
when  requested  by  a  majority  of  said  miners,  the  operators  shall  pay 
the  wages  fixed  for  check  weighmen  and  check  docking  bosses,  out  of 
deductions  made  proportionately  from  the  earnings  of  the  said  miners, 
on  such  basis  as  the  majority  of  said  miners  shall  determine. 

VI.— DISTRIBUTION  OF  MINE  CARS. 

The  miners  for  years  have  made  complaint  that  the  mine  cars  are 
not  equitably  distributed;  that  favoritism  is  shown  in  the  distribu¬ 
tion,  and  that  from  various  causes  they  do  not  get  a  sufficient  num- 


70  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

ber  of  cars  to  enable  them  to  earn,  in  some  cases,  a  fair  day’s  pay. 
The  operators  contend  that  mine  cars  are  distributed  as  fairly  as  pos¬ 
sible.  One  of  the  difficulties  in  this  matter  lies  in  the  fact,  that  it 
is  rare  that  any  colliery  is  supplied  with  a  sufficient  number  of  cars 
to  keep  all  the  miners  constantly  employed.  It  is  a  difficult  matter  to 
adjust,  but  there  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  cars  should  not  be  dis¬ 
tributed  uniformly,  so  far  as  the  equipment  of  cars  will  allow. 

The  Commission,  therefore,  adjudges  and  awards:  That  mine  cars 
shall  be  distributed  among  miners,  who  are  at  work,  as  uniformly  and 
as  equitably  as  possible,  and  that  there  shall  be  no  concerted  effort  on  the 
part  of  the  miners  or  mine  workers  of  any  colliery  or  collieries,  to 
limit  the  output  of  the  mines  or  to  detract  from  the  quality  of  the  work 
performed,  unless  such  limitation  of  output  be  in  conformity  to  an 
agreement  between  an  operator  or  operators,  and  an  organization  repre- 
'  senting  a  majority  of  said  miners  in  his  or  their  employ. 

VII.— MINE  CARS. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  testimony  presented  by  the  miners  in 
the  hearings  before  the  Commission,  was  devoted  to  variations  in 
the  sizes  of  the  mine  cars,  much  complaint  being  made  that  the  cars 
had  been  gradually  increased  in  size,  without  an  equivalent  compensa¬ 
tion  to  the  miner.  It  does  not  seem  to  the  Commission  that  the  latter 
charge  was  substantiated,  though  the  fact  that  several  sizes  of  cars  are 
used  in  some  mines,  with  the  same  rate  of  pay  for  each,  may  be  con¬ 
sidered  as  a  cause  for  suspicion  among  the  mine  workers.  It  was  quite 
clearly  shown  that  in  some  cases  the  miners  had  somewhat  exaggerated 
ideas  of  the  amount  of  coal,  by  weight,  the  mine  cars  contained.  One 
witness,  who  had  measured  his  car  and  ascertained  its  cubical  contents, 
expressed  the  opinion  that  the  car  held  4  tons  when  loaded.  It  in  fact 
held  about  2f  tons.  Still,  the  different  sizes  of  cars  which  are  in  use 
in  some  collieries  cause  confusion  and  misunderstanding,  and  should 
be  avoided  whenever  possible. 

This  condition  is  somewhat  complicated  by  the  different  prices  paid 
for  the  same  cars  in  the  same  collieries.  Take,  for  example,  the  Maple 
Hill  colliery  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 
In  this  case  only  one  size  of  car  is  used.  It  contains,  water  level,  126 
cubic  feet,  and,  with  8  inches  of  topping,  150  cubic  feet.  Twelve  dif¬ 
ferent  rates  are  paid  for  this  one  car,  the  rates  varying  from  75  cents 
to  $1.25.  These  differentials  are,  of  course,  due  to  the  variety  of  con¬ 
ditions  under  which  the  miners  work.  In  the  Phoenix  colliery  of  the 
same  company  four  different  cars,  varying  in  size  from  74.4  to  94 
cubic  feet,  are  each  paid  for  at  five  different  prices,  ranging  from  70 
cents  to  $1.05.  This  makes  the  rate  per  ton  vary  from  80  to  56  cents, 
or  nearly  100  per  cent.  In  the  Mount  Lookout  colliery  of  the  Temple 
Iron  Company,  four  different  sizes  of  cars  are  used,  varying  from 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


71 


80.56  to  93.61  cubic  feet.  Two  rates  are  paid  for  mining,  98  cents 
and  $1.23  per  car,  according  to  the  working  conditions.  The  result  is 
eight  different  rates  per  ton,  varying  from  42  to  61  cents. 

^Anthracite  coal  varies  considerably  in  specific  gravity,  and  the 
space  occupied  by  different  grades  and  sizes  ranges  from  36.5  to  43 
cubic  feet  per  long  ton.  For  the  purposes  of  this  report  the  aver¬ 
age  bulk  of  a  long  ton  of  anthracite  coal  is  assumed  to  be  40  cubic  feet. 
The  table  given  in  the  appendix  presents  a  statement  of  the  different 
sizes  of  cars  used  at  a  number  of  collieries  in  the  anthracite  legion, 
where  payment  is  made  by  car.  It  shows  the  cubical  contents  to  watei 
level,”  and  also  with  the  usual  topping  required.(a) 

These  facts  make  it  impossible  for  the  Commission  to  reach  a  decision 
relative  to  the  size  of  cars,  without  disturbing  to  too  great  an  extent 
existing  conditions;  but  in  order  to  make  its  award  relative  to  an 
increase  of  pay  effective,  it  adjudges  and  awards i  That  in  all  cases  w  heie 
miners  are  paid  by  the  car,  the  increase  awarded  to  the  contract  miners 
is  based  upon  the  cars  in  use,  the  topping  required,  and  the  rates  paid 
per  car  which  were  in  force  on  April  1,  1902.  Any  increase  in  the 
size  of  car,  or  in  the  topping  required,  shall  be  accompanied  by  a  pro¬ 
portionate  increase  in  the  rate  paid  per  car. 

VIII.— SLIDING  SCALE. 


The  attention  of  the  Commission  during  the  argument  was  called  to 
a  proposition  for  the  establishment  of  the  sliding  scale,  as  a  basis  of 
payment  or  as  an  adjunct  to  any  general  system  of  payment  adopted. 
It  has  many  attractive  features  and  is,  in  its  essence,  a  profit-sharing 
device.  The  testimony  shows  that  it  was  in  operation  for  many  years 
in  the  Lehigh  and  Schuylkill  regions.  As  it  existed  in  the  latter  it 
seems  to  have  given  measurable  satisfaction.  It  appears,  howevei,  to 
have  had  a  confessed  defect,  in  that  there  was  no  minimum  basis  of 
earnings  for  the  miner. 

No  sliding  scale  can  be  of  permanent  value,  unless  there  be  estab¬ 
lished  a  minimum  basis  of  earnings,  and  a  minimum  price  of  the  article 
on  which  the  scale  is  constructed.  The  statistics  of  the  prices  of  coal, 
f.  o.  b.  New  York  Harbor,  have  enabled  the  Commission  to  arrive  at 
what  seems  to  be  a  just  basis,  so  far  as  price  is  concerned,  while  the 
minimum  basis  of  earnings  must  necessarily  be  that  established  in  the 


award. 

The  Commission  has  not  thought  it  wise  to  adopt  an  arrangement 
for  a  sliding  scale  as  a  substitute  for  an  increase  in  the  compensation  of 
mine  workers,  and  has,  accordingly,  in  its  preceding  awards,  provided 
for  such  direct  increase  as  in  its  judgment  is  fair  to  both  opeiatoi  and 
mine  worker,  for  the  period  of  three  years.  Therefore,  in  piesciibing 
the  following  sliding  scale,  the  Commission  does  not  do  so  with  the 
expectation  that  it  means  any  immediate  addition  to  the  increases 


«  See  pages  195,  196. 


72  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

already  provided  for  in  the  earnings  and  wages  of  mine  workers,  or 
that  it  necessarily  means  an  increase  at  all,  but  with  the  thought  that 
if  in  the  future  the  price  of  coal  should  become  what  might  be  called 
abnormally  high,  there  might  be  participation  by  miners  and  mine 
workers  in  the  profits  derived  from  such  increased  price. 

The  Commission,  therefore,  adjudges  and  awards:  That  the  following 
sliding  scale  of  wages  shall  become  effective  April  1,  1903,  and  shall 
affect  all  miners  and  mine  workers  included  in  the  awards  of  the 
Commission: 

The  wages  fixed  in  the  awards  shall  be  the  basis  of,  and  the  minimum 
under,  the  sliding  scale. 

For  each  increase  of  5  cents  in  the  average  price  of  white  ash  coal 
of  sizes  above  pea  coal,  sold  at  or  near  New  York,  between  Perth 
Amboy  and  Edgewater,  and  reported  to  the  Bureau  of  Anthracite 
Coal  Statistics,  above  $4.50  per  ton  f.  o.  b.,  the  employees  shall  have  an 
increase  of  1  per  cent  in  their  compensation,  which  shall  continue 
until  a  change  in  the  average  price  of  said  coal  works  a  reduction  or 
an  increase  in  said  additional  compensation  hereunder;  but  the  rate 
of  compensation  shall  in  no  case  be  less  than  that  fixed  in  the  award. 
That  is,  when  the  price  of  said  coal  reaches  $4.55  per  ton,  the  compen¬ 
sation  will  be  increased  1  per  cent,  to  continue  until  the  price  falls 
below  $4.55  per  ton,  when  the  1  per  cent  increase  will  cease,  or  until 
the  price  reaches  $4. 60  per  ton,  when  an  additional  1  per  cent  will  be 
added,  and  so  on. 

These  average  prices  shall  be  computed  monthly,  by  an  accountant 
or  commissioner,  named  by  one  of  the  circuit  judges  of  the  third  judi¬ 
cial  circuit  of  the  United  States,  and  paid  by  the  coal  operators,  such 
compensation  as  the  appointing  judge  may  fix,  which  compensation 
shall  be  distributed  among  the  operators  in  proportion  to  the  tonnage 
of  each  mine. 

In  order  that  the  basis  may  be  laid  for  the  successful  working  of 
the  sliding  scale  provided  herein,  it  is  also  adjudged  and  awarded:  That 
all  coal-operating  companies  file  at  once  with  the  United  States  Com¬ 
missioner  of  Labor,  a  certified  statement  of  the  rates  of  compensation 
paid  in  each  occupation  known  in  their  companies,  as  they  existed 
April  1,  1902. 

IX.— DISCRIMINATION,  LAWLESSNESS,  BOYCOTTING,  AND 

BLACKLISTING. 

In  the  letter  of  the  operators,  which  forms  the  basis  of  the  submis¬ 
sion  of  issues  to  this  Commission,  the  signatory  parties  state  “that 
they  are  not  discriminating  against  the  United  Mine  Workers,  but 
they  insist  that  the  miners’  union  shall  not  discriminate  against  or 
refuse  to  work  with  nonunion  men.”  The  testimony  proved  that 
some  discrimination,  on  the  part  of  both  operators  and  union  men,  was 


REPOET  OF  ANTHEACITE  COAL  STEIKE  COMMISSION. 


73 


made,  before  and  after  the  strike  was  inaugurated  and  even,  to  some 
extent,  after  it  had  been  declared  off.  It  is  difficult,  of  couise,  lo 
determine  just  how  far  the  employers  declined  to  reemploy  mineis, 
simply  because  they  were  members  of  the  union,  or  just  how  far  the 
miners  themselves  refused  to  work  with  nonunion  men.  In  the  above- 
mentioned  letter  it  is  stated  that  the  understanding  is  that  “  the  miners 
will  return  to  work  and  cease  all  interference  with  or  persecution  of 
any  nonunion  men  who  are  working  or  shall  hereafter  work.  ’ 

The  testimonv  does  not  reveal  any  considerable  amount  of  interfer¬ 
ence  on  the  part  of  members  of  the  union  with  nonunion  men,  after 
work  had  been  resumed — that  is,  after  the  23d  of  October.  Never¬ 
theless,  it  is  evident  to  the  Commission  that  discrimination,  whether 
on  the  part  of  the  operators  or  of  any  of  their  employees,  is  a  serious 
menace  to  the  discipline  of  the  mines.  Lhere  is  no  industry  in  which 
discipline  is  more  essential  than  in  mining.  The  hazardous  nature  of 
the  work  calls  for  the  best  discipline;  it  is  to  the  interest  of  the 
employer  and  the  employee  to  see  that  it  is  maintained,  Dach  should 
aid  the  other,  not  only  in  establishing  the  best  methods  for  securing 
discipline,  but  in  efforts  to  preserve  it.  Discrimination  and  inter¬ 
ference  weaken  all  discipline. 

Although  some  reflections  on  the  general  subject  have  been  made, 
no  discussion  of  the  conditions  prevailing  in  tne  anthracite  region 
during  the  continuance  of  the  late  sti iKe,  would  be  adequate,  that  did 
not  fully  deal  with  the  disorder  and  lawlessness  which  existed  to  some 
extent  over  the  whole  region,  and  throughout  the  whole  period.  It  is 
admitted  that  this  disorder  and  lawlessness  was  incident  to  the  strike. 
Its  history  is  stained  with  a  record  of  riot  and  bloodshed,  culminating 
in  three  murders,  unprovoked  save  by  the  fact  that  two  of  the  victims 
were  asserting  their  right  to  work,  and  another,  as  an  officer  of  the 
law,  was  performing  his  duty,  in  attempting  to  preserve  the  peace. 
Men  who  chose  to  be  employed,  or  who  remained  at  work,  were  assailed 
and  threatened,  and  they  and  their  families  terrorized  and  intimidated. 
In  several  instances  the  houses  of  such  workmen  were  dynamited,  or 
otherwise  assaulted,  and  the  lives  of  unoffending  women  and  children 
put  in  jeopardy.  The  armed  guards,  employed  to  protect  the  collieries 
and  the  men  who  worked  them,  appear  not  to  have  been  an  unnecessary 
precaution,  and  the  governor  of  the  State  was,  as  the  evidence  before 
the  Commission  shows,  justified  in  calling  out  the  citizen  soldiery  of 
the  Commonwealth  to  preserve  its  peace  and  vindicate  its  laws. 

The  resentment  expressed  by  many  persons  connected  with  the  strike, 
at  the  presence  of  the  armed  guards  and  militia  of  the  State,  does  not 
argue  well  for  the  peaceable  character  or  purposes  of  such  persons. 
No  peaceable  or  law-abiding  citizen  has  reason  to  fear  or  resent  the 

presence  of  either. 

It  is  true  that  exaggerated  accounts  of  the  disturbances  were  pub- 


74  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


lished,  and  there  was  testimony  from  reputable  witnesses,  tending  to 
minimize  them,  and  vouching  for  the  good  order  of  the  communities 
in  which  such  witnesses  lived;  but  these  were  mainly  in  the  localities 
where  the  operators  made  no  attempt  to  work  the  collieries.  It  is 
also  true,  and  justice  requires  the  statement,  that  the  leaders  of  the 
organization  which  began  and  conducted  the  strike,  and  notably  its 
president,  condemned  all  violence,  and  exhorted  their  followers  to 
sobriety  and  moderation.  It  would  seem,  however,  that  the  subordi¬ 
nate  local  organizations  and  their  leaders,  were  not  so  amenable  to 
such  counsels  as  to  prevent  the  regrettable  occurrences  to  which  refer¬ 
ence  has  been  made. 

In  making  this  arraignment,  we  are  not  unmindful  of  what  appears 
to  be  the  fact,  that  the  mine  workers  of  the  anthracite  region  are,  in 
the  main,  well-disposed  and  good  citizens  of  the  Commonwealth  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  that  it  is  in  the  power  of  a  minority  of  the  less  respon¬ 
sible  men  and  boys,  together  with  the  idle  and  vicious,  unless  properly 
restrained,  to  destroy  the  peace  and  good  order  of  any  community. 
Absence  of  protest  and  of  active>  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  better 
element,  means  encouragement  and  license  to  the  class  above  described. 
It  has  been  declared  by  some  persons,  that  this  state  of  things  is  no  more 
than  was  to  be  expected  in  communities  where  such  large  numbers  of 
men  and  bo}^s  were  idle  for  so  long  a  time.  If  this  be  so,  and  it  is  not 
necessary  for  our  present  purpose  to  traverse  the  truth  of  this  state 
ment,  it  affects  seriously  the  responsibility  of  those  leaders  of  a  labor 
movement  who  are,  in  the  main,  responsible  for  the  inauguration  and 
conduct  of  a  strike. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  without  threats,  intimidation,  and  vio¬ 
lence  toward  those  who  would  otherwise  be  willing  to  remain  at  work, 
or  take  the  places  of  those  who  had  ceased  to  work,  the  coercion  of 
emploj^ers,  which  a  strike  always  contemplates,  would  be  less  potent 
in  compelling  acquiescence  in  its  demands.  This  is  the  danger  point 
of  the  whole  matter.  The  law,  which  governs  all  citizens  of  a  free 
country  alike,  can  make  no  exceptions.  The  beneficence  of  labor 
unions  is  acknowledged.  Their  development,  as  we  view  it,  has  been 
one  of  real,  though  of  slow  and  intermittent,  progress  to  the  better¬ 
ment  of  labor  conditions  and  to  improvement  in  the  relations  between 
employer  and  employed.  All  combinations  of  men,  however,  to  achieve 
a  common  purpose  have  potencies  for  evil.  Such  combinations  are 
more  than  mere  aggregations  of  the  rights  and  powers  of  the  individ¬ 
uals  composing  them.  They  become  new  and  powerful  entities  and 
factors  for  good  or  ill,  according  to  the  wisdom  or  unwisdom  with 
which  they  are  managed  and  controlled.  The  strike  ordered  by  a 
trade  union,  which  compasses  no  more  than  the  enforcement  of 
demands  previously  made,  for  the  supposed  benefit  of  its  members,  by 
the  cessation  from  work  in  the  event  that  those  demands  are  not  com- 


75 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

plied  with,  transgresses  no  law  of  a  free  society,  and,  whether  wise 
or  unwise  in  inception  and  purpose,  is  an  exercise  of  no  moie  than  the 
legal  rights  that  belong  collectively  or  individually  to  its  members. 

It  is  true  that  the  stress  thus  placed  upon  employers,  may  consti¬ 
tute  a  kind  of  coercion,  resulting,  in  some  cases,  in  an  enforced  com¬ 
pliance  with  the  demands  of  the  association  or  union.  Such  coercion, 
however,  is  not  illegal  and  does  not  come  within  the  condemnation 
of  the  law.  It  is  the  indirect  consequence  of  the  legal  exercise  of  the 
right  to  work,  or  to  cease  to  work,  belonging  to  all  men. 

But  a  strike  set  on  foot  with  the  view  to  the  accomplishment  of  its 
purpose  by  intimidation  or  violence,  exercised  against  those  who  choose 
to  remain  at  work  violates  the  law  from  the  beginning.  Where,  how¬ 
ever,  the  strike  itself  is  separable  from  the  illegal  violence  and  intimi¬ 
dation,  which  in  many  cases  accompany  it,  the  legal  liability  for  such 
violence  and  intimidation  rests  alone  upon  the  individuals  who  commit 
the  act,  and  those  who  aid,  encourage,  and  abet  them.  Though  no 
illegality  of  purpose  is  imputable  to  those  inaugurating  a  stiike,  its 
existence,  if  it  involve  large  numbers  of  men  in  a  single  community, 
tends,  of  itself,  to  produce  disorder  and  lawlessness. 

As  has  been  said,  the  idle  and  vicious,  who  are  in  no  way  connected 
with  the  purpose  or  object  of  the  strike,  often  unite  with  the  less 
orderly  of  the  strikers  themselves,  in  creating  the  deplorable  scenes  of 
violence  and  terror,  which  have  all  too  often  characterized  the  other¬ 
wise  laudable  efforts  of  organized  labor  to  improve  its  conditions. 
Surely  this  tendency  to  disorder  and  violation  of  law  imposes  upon  the 
organization,  which  begins  and  conducts  a  movement  of  such  impor¬ 
tance,  a  grave  responsibility.  It  has,  by  its  voluntary  act,  created  dan¬ 
gers,  and  should,  therefore,  be  vigilant  in  averting  them.  It  has,  by 
the  concerted  action  of  many  aroused  passions,  which,  uncontrolled, 
threaten  the  public  peace;  it,  therefore,  owes  society  the  duty  of  exert¬ 
ing  its  power  to  check  and  confine  these  passions  within  the  bounds  of 
reason  and  of  law.  Such  organizations  should  be  the  powerful  coadju¬ 
tors  of  government  in  maintaining  the  peace  and  upholding  the  law. 
Only  so  can  they  deserve  and  attain  the  respect  due  to  good  citizen¬ 
ship,  and  only  so  can  they  accomplish  the  beneficent  ends,  which  for 

the. most  part  they  werfe  created  to  attain. 

A  labor  or  other  organization,  whose  purpose  can  only  be  accom¬ 
plished  by  the  violation  of  law  and  order  of  society,  has  no  right  to 

exist. 

The  right  to  remain  at  work  where  others  have  ceased  to  work,  or 
to  engage  anew  in  work  which  others  have  abandoned,  is  part  of  the 
personal  liberty  of  a  citizen,  that  can  never  be  surrendered,  and  every 
infringement  thereof  merits,  and  should  receive  the  stern  denounce¬ 
ment  of  the  law.  All  government  implies  restraint,  and  it  is  not  less, 
but  more,  necessary  in  self -governed  communities,  than  in  others,  to 


76  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

compel  restraint  of  the  passions  of  men  which  make  for  disorder  and 
lawlessness.  Our  language  is  the  language  of  a  free  people,  and  fails 
to  furnish  any  form  of  speech  by  which  the  right  of  a  citizen  to  work 
when  he  pleases,  for  whom  he  pleases,  and  on  what  terms  he  pleases, 
can  be  successfully  denied.  The  common  sense  of  our  people,  as  well 
as  the  common  law,  forbids  that  this  right  should  be  assailed  with 
impunity.  It  is  vain  to  say,  that  the  man  who  remains  at  work  while 
others  cease  to  work,  or  takes  the  place  of  one  who  has  abandoned 
his  work,  helps  to  defeat  the  aspirations  of  men  who  seek  to  obtain 
better  recompense  for  their  labor,  and  better  conditions  of  life. 
Approval  of  the  object  of  a  strike,  or  persuasion  that  its  purpose  is 
high  and  noble,  can  not  sanction  an  attempt  to  destroy  the  right  of 
others  to  a  different  opinion  in  this  respect,  or  to  interfere  with  their 
conduct  in  choosing  to  work  upon  what  terms  and  at  what  time  and 
for  whom  it  may  please  them  so  to  do. 

The  right  thus  to  work  can  not  be  made  to  depend  upon  the  approval 
or  disapproval  of  the  personal  character  and  conduct  of  those  who  claim 
to  exercise  this  right.  If  this  were  otherwise,  then  those  who  remain 
at  work  might,  if  they  were  in  the  majority,  have  both  the  right  and 
power  to  prevent  others,  who  choose  to  cease  to  work,  from  so  doing. 

This  all  seems  too  plain  for  argument.  Common  sense  and  common 
law  alike  denounce  the  conduct  of  those  who  interfere  with  this  funda¬ 
mental  right  of  the  citizen.  The  assertion  of  the  right  seems  trite  and 
commonplace,  but  that  land  is  blessed  where  the  maxims  of  liberty  are 
commonplaces. 

It  also  becomes  our  dut}^  to  condemn  another  less  violent,  but  not 
less  reprehensible,  form  of  attack  upon  those  rights  and  liberties  of 
the  citizen,  which  the  public  opinion  of  civilized  countries  recognizes 
and  protects.  The  right  and  liberty  to  pursue  a  lawful  calling  and  to 
lead  a  peaceable  life,  free  from  molestation  or  attack,  concerns  the  com¬ 
fort  and  happiness  of  all  men,  and  the  denial  of  them  means  destruc¬ 
tion  of  one  of  the  greatest,  if  not  the  greatest,  of  the  benefits  which 
the  social  organization  confers.  What  is  popularly  known  as  the  boy¬ 
cott  (a)  (a  word  of  evil  omen  and  unhappy  origin)  is  a  form  of  coercion 
by  which  a  combination  of  many  persons,  seek  to  work  their  will  upon 
a  single  person,  or  upon  a  few  persons,  by  compelling  others  to  abstain 
from  social  or  beneficial  business  intercourse  with  such  person  or  per¬ 
sons.  Carried  to  the  extent  sometimes  practiced  in  aid  of  a  strike, 
and  as  was  in  some  instances  practiced  in  connection  with  the  late 
anthracite  strike,  it  is  a  cruel  weapon  of  aggression,  and  its  use 
immoral  and  antisocial. 

aThe  following-named  States  have  laws  which  may  fairly  be  construed  as  prohibit¬ 
ing  boycotting:  Alabama,  Connecticut,  Florida,  Georgia,  Maine,  Massachusetts, 
Michigan,  Minnesota,  Mississippi,  Missouri,  New  Hampshire,  New  York,  North 
Dakota,  Oklahoma,  Oregon,  South  Dakota,  Texas,  Utah,  Vermont,  and  Wisconsin. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  77 

To  say  this  is  not  to  deny  the  legal  right  of  any  man  or  set  of  men, 
voluntarily  to  refrain  from  social  intercourse  or  business  relations 
with  any  persons  whom  he  or  they,  with  or  without  good  reason,  dis¬ 
like.  This  may  sometimes  be  unchristian,  but  it  is  not  illegal.  But 
when  it  is  a  concerted  purpose  of  a  number  of  persons  not  only  to 
abstain  themselves  from  such  intercourse,  but  to  render  the  life  of 
their  victim  miserable  by  persuading  and  intimidating  others  so  to 
refrain,  such  purpose  is  a  malicious  one,  and  the  concerted  attempt  to 
accomplish  it  is  a  conspiracy  at  common  law,  and  merits  and  should 
receive  the  punishment  due  to  such  a  crime. 

Examples  of  such  “ secondary  boycotts”  are  not  wanting  in  the 
record  of  the  case  before  the  Commission.  A  young  schoolmistress, 
of  intelligence,  character,  and  attainments,  was  so  boycotted,  and 
her  dismissal  from  employment  compelled  for  no  other  reason  than 
that  a  brother,  not  living  in  her  immediate  family,  chose  to  work  con¬ 
trary  to  the  wishes  and  will  of  the  striking  miners.  A  lad,  about  15 
years  old,  employed  in  a  drug  store,  was  discharged,  owing  to  threats 
made  to  his  employer  by  a  delegation  of  the  strikers,  on  behalf  of 
their  organization,  for  the  reason  that  his  father  had  chosen  to  return 
to  work  before  the  strike  was  ended.  In  several  instances  tradesmen 
were  threatened  with  a  boycott — that  is,  that  all  connected  with  the 
strikers  would  withhold  from  them  their  custom,  and  persuade  others 
to  do  so,  if  they  continued  to  furnish  the  necessaries  of  life  to  the 
families  of  certain  workmen,  who  had  come  under  the  ban  of  the  dis¬ 
pleasure  of  the  striking  organizations.  This  was  carrying  the  boycott 
to  an  extent  which  was  condemned  by  Mr.  Mitchell,  president  of  the 
United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  in  his  testimony  before  the  Com¬ 
mission,  and  which  certainly  deserves  the  reprobation  of  all  thought¬ 
ful  and  law-abiding  citizens.  Many  other  instances  of  boycott  are 
disclosed  in  the  record  of  this  case. 

In  social  disturbances  of  the  kind  with  which  we  are  dealing,  the 
temptation  to  resort  to  this  weapon  oftentimes  becomes  strong,  but 
is  none  the  less  to  be  resisted.  It  is  an  attempt  of  many,  by  con¬ 
certed  action,  to  work  their  will  upon  another  who  has  exercised 
his  legal  right  to  differ  with  them  in  opinion  and  in  conduct.  It  is 
tyranny,  pure  and  simple,  and  as  such  is  hateful,  no  matter  whether 
attempted  to  be  exercised  by  few  or  by  many,  by  operators  or  by 
workmen,  and  no  society  that  tolerates  or  condones  it  can  justly  call 
itself  free. 

Some  weak  attempt  was  made  at  the  hearings  to  justify  the  boycotts 
we  have  been  describing,  by  confusing  them  with  what  might  be  called, 
for  convenience  sake,  the  primary  boycott,  which  consists  merely  in 
the  voluntary  abstention  of  one  or  many  persons  from  social  or  busi¬ 
ness  relations  with  one  whom  they  dislike.  This  indeed  might  amount 
to  a  conspiracy  at  law,  if  the  ingredient  of  malicious  purpose  and  con- 


78  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

certed  action  to  accomplish  it  were  present,  but  whether  this  be  so  or 
not,  the  practical  distinction  between  such  a  boycott  and  the  one  we 
have  been  reprobating  is  clear. 

It  was  attempted  to  defend  the  boycott,  by  calling  the  contest  between 
employers  and  employees  a  war  between  capital  and  labor,  and  pursu¬ 
ing  the  analogies  of  the  word,  to  justif}T  thereby  the  cruelty  and  illegality 
of  conduct  on  the  part  of  those  conducting  a  strike.  The  analogy  is 
not  apt,  and  the  argument  founded  upon  it  is  fallacious.  There  is  only 
one  war-making  power  recognized  by  our  institutions,  and  that  is  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  and  of  the  States  in  subordination 
thereto,  when  repelling  invasion  or  suppressing  domestic  violence. 
War  between  citizens  is  not  to  be  tolerated,  and  can  not,  in  the  proper 
sense,  exist.  If  attempted,  it  is  unlawful,  and  is  to  be  put  down  by  the 
sovereign  power  of  the  State  and  Nation. 

The  practices,  which  we  are  condemning,  would  be  outside  the  pale 
of  civilized  war.  In  civilized  warfare,  women  and  children  and  the 
defenseless  are  safe  from  attack,  and  a  code  of  honor  controls  the 
parties  to  such  warfare  which  cries  out  against  the  boycott  we  have 
in  view.  Cruel  and  cowardly  are  terms  not  too  severe  by  which  to 
characterize  it. 

Closely  allied  to  the  boycott  is  the  blacklist,  by  which  employers  of 
labor  sometimes  prevent  the  employment  by  others,  of  men  whom 
they  have  discharged.  In  other  words,  it  is  a  combination  among 
employers  not  to  employ  workmen,  discharged  by  any  of  the  members 
of  said  combination.  This  system  is  as  reprehensible  and  as  cruel 
as  the  boycott,  and  should  be  frowned  down  by  all  humane  men. 
Happily  there  was  little  evidence  of  its  existence  among  the  opera¬ 
tors  in  the  anthracite  region,  one  case  only  having  been  distinctly 
proved,  and  in  that  the  refusal  to  employ  the  tabooed  men  continued 
but  for  a  short  time.  Wherever  it  is  practiced  to  the  extent  of  being 
founded  upon  an  agreement  or  concerted  action,  it,  too,  comes  within 
the  definition  of  the  crime  of  conspiracy,  and  as  such  should  be  pun¬ 
ished.  («)  There  is  also  a  civil  remedy  open  to  one  who  suffers  from 
having  been  blacklisted,  in  an  action  against  those  who  are  a  party 
to  it,  to  recover  damages  compensatory  of  the  injury  received. 

The  Commission  is  fully  aware  of  the  difficulties  inherent  in  this 
subject.  It  is  a  psychological  matter  beyond  rules  and  awards  unless 
the  lawmaking  power  of  the  community  fix  a  penalty  upon  boycot¬ 
ting  and  blacklisting.  Even  then  the  various  degrees  to  which  the 
two  can  be  carried  elude  the  enforcement  of  a  statute.  The  Com¬ 
mission  is  of  opinion,  however,  that  there  should  be  a  positive  utter¬ 
ance  on  its  part  relative  to  discrimination,  interference,  boycotting, 

«The  United  States  and  the  following-named  States  have  laws  which  may  fairly  be 
construed  as  prohibiting  blacklisting:  Georgia,  Michigan,  New  Hampshire,  New 
York,  Oklahoma,  Oregon,  Rhode  Island,  and  South  Dakota. 


REPORT  OF  -ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  79 


and  blacklisting,  and  this  opinion  it  has  put  in  the  form  of  an  award, 
as  follows: 

It  is  adjudged  and  awarded:  That  no  person  shall  be  refused  employ¬ 
ment,  or  in  any  way  discriminated  against,  on  account  of  membership 
or  nonmembership  in  any  labor  organization;  and  that  there  shall  be 
no  discrimination  against,  or  interference  with,  any  employee  who  is 
not  a  member  of  any  labor  organization  by  members  of  such  organi¬ 
zation. 

X.— DIRECT  PAYMENT. 

It  is  the  general  custom  with  the  companies  in  the  anthracite  regions, 
to  pay  a  miner  the  total  amount  of  money  due  him  for  mining  coal, 
the  miner  paying  his  laborer  or  laborers  the  amount  due  them.  A 
contract  miner,  whose  earnings  may  be  practically  what  he  sees  fit  to 
make  them,  within  proper  limits,  engages  his  own  laborer  and  blows 
down  or  cuts  the  coal,  while  the  laborer  loads  it  into  the  mine  cars,  he 
being  paid  therefor,  on  an  average,  something  over  one-third  of  the 
gross  earnings  of  the  miner.  At  the  end  of  two  weeks  the  money  due 
the  miner  is  handed  him  in  an  envelope,  with  a  statement  of  the  amount 
of  coal  mined,  allowances,  etc.,  and  the  miner  pays  his  laborer  or 
laborers. 

~  It  is  contended  that  on  pay  day  the  laborers,  at  times,  meet  at  a 
neighboring  saloon,  and  the  miners  there  pay  them,  the  excuse  being 
that  they  are  not  able  to  make  change,  and  so  secure  the  assistance  of 
the  saloon  keeper.  This  may  or  may  not  be  a  grievous  complaint,  but 
it  could  be  entirely  overcome  by  the  operators  paying  the  miners’ 
laborers  direct  and  at  the  pay  office.  The  Commission,  therefore, 
adjudges  and  awards:  That  all  contract  miners  be  required  to  furnish 
within  a  reasonable  time  before  each  pay  day,  a  statement  of  the 
amount  of  money  due  from  them  to  their  laborers,  and  such  sums  shall 
be  deducted  from  the  amount  due  the  contract  miner,  and  paid  directly 
to  each  laborer  by  the  company.  All  employees  when  paid  shall  be 
furnished  with  an  itemized  statement  of  account. 

XI.— LIFE  AND  CONDITIONS  OF  THE  AWARDS. 

The  Commission  further  adjudges  and  awards:  That  the  awards 
herein  made  shall  continue  in  force  until  March  31,  1906;  and  that 
any  employee,  or  group  of  employees,  violating  any  of  the  provisions 
thereof,  shall  be  subject  to  reasonable  discipline  by  the  employer;  and, 
further,  that  the  violation  of  any  provision  of  these  awards,  either  by 
employer  or  employees,  shall  not  invalidate  any  of  the  provisions 
thereof. 


80 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  .COMMISSION. 


RECAPITULATION  OF  AWARDS. 

I.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  an  increase  of  10  per 
cent  over  and  above  the  rates  paid  in  the  month  of  April,  1902,  be 
paid  to  all  contract  miners  for  cutting  coal,  yardage,  and  other  work 
for  which  standard  rates  or  allowances  existed  at  that  time,  from  and 
after  November  1, 1902,  and  during  the  life  of  this  award;  and  also  to 
the  legal  representatives  of'such  contract  miners  as  may  have  died 
since  November  1, 1902.  The  amount  of  increase  under  the  award  due 
for  work  done  between  November  1, 1902,  and  April  1, 1903,  to  be  paid 
on  or  before  June  1,  1903. 

II.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  engineers  who  are 
employed  in  hoisting  water  shall  have  an  increase  of  10  per  cent  on 
their  earnings  between  November  1,  1902,  and  April  1,  1903,  to  be 
paid  on  or  before  June  1,  1903;  and  a  like  allowance  shall  be  paid  to 
the  legal  representatives  of  such  employees  as  may  have  died  since 
November  1,  1902;  and  from  and  after  April  1,  1903,  and  during  the 
life  of  the  award,  they  shall  have  8-hour  shifts,  with  the  same  pay 
which  was  effective  in  April,  1902;  and  where  they  are  now  working 
8-hour  shifts,  the  8-hour  shifts  shall  be  continued,  and  these  engineers 
shall  have  an  increase  of  10  per  cent  on  the  wages  which  were  effective 
in  the  several  positions  in  April,  1902. 

Hoisting  engineers  and  other  engineers  and  pumpmen,  other  than 
those  employed  in  hoisting  water,  who  are  employed  in  positions 
which  are  manned  continuously,  shall  have  an  increase  of  10  per 
cent  on  their  earnings  between  November  1, 1902,  and  April  1,  1903, 
to  be  paid  on  or  before  June  1,  1903;  and  a  like  allowance  shall  be 
paid  to  the  legal  representatives  of  such  employees  as  ma}^  have  died 
since  November  1,  1902;  and  from  and  after  April  1, 1903,  and  during 
the  life  of  the  award,  they  shall  have  an  increase  of  5  per  cent  on  the 
rates  of  wages  which  were  effective  in  the  several  positions  in  April, 
1902;  and  in  addition  they  shall  be  relieved  from  duty  on  Sundays, 
without  loss  of  pay,  by  a  man  provided  by  the  employer  to  relieve 
them  during  the  hours  of  the  day  shift. 

The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  firemen  shall  have  an 
increase  of  10  per  cent  on  their  earnings  between  November  1,  1902, 
and  April  1,  1903,  to  be  paid  on  or  before  June  1,  1903;  and  alike 
allowance  shall  be  paid  to  the  legal  representatives  of  such  employees 
as  may  have  died  since  November  1,  1902;  and  from  and  after  April 
1, 1903,  and  during  the  life  of  the  award,  they  shall  have  8-hour  shifts, 
with  the  same  wages  per  day,  week,  or  month  as  were  paid  in  each 
position  in  April,  1902. 

The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  all  employees  or  com¬ 
pany  men,  other  than  those  for  whom  the  Commission  makes  special 
awards,  be  paid  an  increase  of  10  per  cent  on  their  earnings  between 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  81 

November  1,  1902,  and  April  1,  1903,  to  be  paid  on  or  before  June  1, 
1903;  and  a  like  allowance  shall  be  paid  to  the  legal  representatives  of 
such  employees  as  may  have  died  since  November  1,  1902;  and  that 
from  and  after  April  1,  1903,  and  during  the  life  of  this  award,  they 
shall  be  paid  on  the  basis  of  a  9-hour  day,  receiving  therefor  the  same 
wages  as  were  paid  in  April,  1902,  for  a  10-hour  day.  Overtime  in 
excess  of  9  hours  in  any  day  to  be  paid  at  a  proportional  rate  per  hour. 

III.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  during  the  life  of 
this  award  the  present  methods  of  payment  for  coal  mined,  shall  be 
adhered  to,  unless  changed  by  mutual  agreement. 

IV.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  any  difficulty  or  dis¬ 
agreement  arising  under  this  award,  either  as  to  its  interpretation  or 
application,  or  in  any  way  growing  out  of  the  relations  of  the  employ¬ 
ers  and  employed,  which  can  not  be  settled  or  adjusted  by  consultation 
between  the  superintendent  or  manager  of  the  mine  or  mines,  and  the 
miner  or  miners  directly  interested,  or  is  of  a  scope  too  large  to  be  so 
settled  or  adjusted,  shall  be  referred  to  a  permanent  joint  committee, 
to  be  called  a  board  of  conciliation,  to  consist  of  six  persons,  appointed 
as  hereinafter  provided.  That  is  to  say,  if  there  shall  be  a  division  of 
the  whole  region  into  three  districts,  in  each  of  which  there  shall  exist 
an  organization  representing  a  majority  of  the  mine  workers  of  such 
district,  one  of  said  board  of  conciliation  shall  be  appointed  by  each  of 
said  organizations,  and  three  other  persons  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
operators,  the  operators  in  each  of  said  districts  appointing  one  person. 

The  board  of  conciliation  thus  constituted,  shall  take  up  and  consider 
any  question  referred  to  it  as  aforesaid,  hearing  both  parties  to  the 
controversy,  and  such  evidence  as  may  be  laid  before  it  by  either  party; 
and  any  award  made  by  a  majority  of  such  board  of  conciliation  shall 
be  final  and  binding’  on  all  parties.  If,  however,  the  said  board  is 
unable  to  decide  any  question  submitted,  or  point  related  thereto, 
that  question  or  point  shall  be  referred  to  an  umpire,  to  be  appointed, 
at  the  request  of  said  board,  by  one  of  the  circuit  judges  of  the  third 
judicial  circuit  of  the  United  States,  whose  decision  shall  be  final  and 
binding  in  the  premises. 

The  membership  of  said  board  shall  at  all  times  be  kept  complete, 
either  the  operators’  or  miners’  organizations  having  the  right,  at  any 
time  when  a  controversy  is  not  pending,  to  change  their  representa 
tion  thereon. 

At  all  hearings  before  said  board  the  parties  may  be  represented  by 
such  person  or  persons  as  they  may  respectively  select. 

No  suspension  of  work  shall  take  place,  by  lockout  or  strike,  pend¬ 
ing  the  adjudication  of  any  matter  so  taken  up  for  adjustment. 

V.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  whenever  requested 
by  a  majority  of  the  contract  miners  of  any  colliery,  check  weighmen 
or  check  docking  bosses,  or  both,  shall  be  employed.  The  wages  of 

S.  Doc.  6 - 6 


82  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

said  check  weighmen  and  check  docking  bosses  shall  be  fixed,  col¬ 
lected,  and  paid  by  the  miners  in  such  manner  as  the  said  miners  shall 
by  a  majority  vote  elect;  and  when  requested  by  a  majority  of  said 
miners,  the  operators  shall  pay  the  wages  fixed  for  check  weighmen 
and  check  docking  bosses,  out  of  deductions  made  proportionately  from 
the  earnings  of  the  said  miners,  on  such  basis  as  the  majority  of  said 
miners  shall  determine. 

VI.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  mine  cars  shall  be 
distributed  among  miners,  who  are  at  work,  as  uniformly  and  as  equi¬ 
tably  as  possible,  and  that  there  shall  be  no  concerted  effort  on  the 
part  of  the  miners  or  mine  workers  of  any  colliery  or  collieries,  to 
limit  the  output  of  the  mines  or  to  detract  from  the  quality  of  the 
work  performed,  unless  such  limitation  of  output  be  in  conformity 
to  an  agreement  between  an  operator  or  operators,  and  an  organization 
representing  a  majority  of  said  miners  in  his  or  their  employ. 

YU.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  in  all  cases  where 
miners  are  paid  by  the  car,  the  increase  awarded  to  the  contract  mineis 
is  based  upon  the  cars  in  use,  the  topping  required,  and  the  rates  paid 
per  car  which  were  in  force  on  April  1,  1902.  Any  increase  in  the 
size  of  car,  or  in  the  topping  required,  shall  be  accompanied  by  a  pro¬ 
portionate  increase  in  the  rate  paid  per  car. 

VIII.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards :  That  the  following  slid¬ 
ing  scale  of  wages  shall  become  effective  April  1,  1903,  and  shall  affect 
all  miners  and  mine  workers  included  in  the  awards  of  the  Commission: 

The  wages  fixed  in  the  awards  shall  be  the  basis  of,  and  the  minimum 
under,  the  sliding  scale. 

For  each  increase  of  5  cents  in  the  average  price  of  white-ash  coal 
of  sizes  above  pea  coal,  sold  at  or  near  New  York,  between  Perth 
Amboy  and  Edgewater,  and  reported  to  the  Bureau  of  Anthracite 
Coal  Statistics,  above  $4.50  per  ton  f.  o.  b.,  the  employees  shall  have 
an  increase  of  1  per  cent  in  their  compensation,  which  shall  continue 
until  a  change  in  the  average  price  of  said  coal  works  a  reduction  or 
an  increase  in  said  additional  compensation  hereunder;  but  the  rate  of 
compensation  shall  in  no  case  be  less  than  that  fixed  in  the  award. 
That  is,  when  the  price  of  said  coal  reaches  $4.55  per  ton,  the  com¬ 
pensation  will  be  increased  1  per  cent,  to  continue  until  the  price  falls 
below  $4.55  per  ton,  when  the  1  per  cent  increase  will  cease,  or  until 
the  price  reaches  $4.60  per  ton,  when  an  additional  1  per  cent  will  be 
added,  and  so  on. 

These  average  prices  shall  be  computed  monthly,  by  an  accountant 
or  commissioner,  named  by  one  of  the  circuit  judges  of  the  third  judi¬ 
cial  circuit  of  the  United  States,  and  paid  by  the  coal  operators,  such 
compensation  as  the  appointing  judge  may  fix,  which  compensation 
shall  be  distributed  among  the  operators  in  proportion  to  the  tonnage 
of  each  mine. 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  83 


In  order  that  the  basis  may  be  laid  for  the  successful  working  of 
the  sliding  scale  provided  herein,  it  is  also  adjudged  and  awarded:  That 
all  coal-operating  companies  file  at  once  with  the  United  States  Com¬ 
missioner  of  Labor,  a  certified  statement  of  the  rates  of  compensation 
paid  in  each  occupation  known  in  their  companies,  as  they  existed 
April  1,  1902. 

IX.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  no  person  shall  be 
refused  employment,  or  in  any  way  discriminated  against,  on  account 
of  membership  or  nonmembership  in  any  labor  organization;  and 
that  there  shall  be  no  discrimination  against,  or  interference  with,  any 
employee  who  is  not  a  member  of  any  labor  organization  by  members 
of  such  organization. 

X.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  all  contract  miners 
be  required  to  furnish  within  a  reasonable  time  before  each  pay  day, 
a  statement  of  the  amount  of  money  due  from  them  to  their  laborers, 
and  such  sums  shall  be  deducted  from  the  amount  due  the  contract 
miner,  and  paid  directl}r  to  each  laborer  by  the  company.  All  employ¬ 
ees  when  paid  shall  be  furnished  with  an  itemized  statement  of  account. 

XI.  The  Commission  adjudges  and  awards:  That  the  awards  herein 
made  shall  continue  in  force  until  March  31,  1906;  and  that  any 
employee,  or  group  of  employees,  violating  any  of  the  provisions 
thereof,  shall  be  subject  to  reasonable  discipline  by  the  employer;  and, 
further,  that  the  violation  of  any  provision  of  these  awards,  either  by 
employer  or  employees,  shall  not  invalidate  any  of  the  provisions 
thereof. 

GENERAL  RECOM MEND ATION S. 

ENFORCEMENT  OF  LAW  AND  PROTECTION  OF  PROPERTY. 

The  Commission  thinks  that  the  practice  of  employing  deputies, 
upon  the  request  and  at  the  expense  of  employers,  instead  of  throwing 
the  whole  responsibility  of  preserving  peace  and  protecting  property 
upon  the  county  and  State  officers,  is  one  of  doubtful  wisdom,  and 
perhaps  tends  to  invite  conflicts  between  such  officers  and  idle  men, 
rather  than  to  avert  them.  Peace  and  order  should  be  maintained  at 
any  cost,  but  should  be  maintained  by  regularly  appointed  and 
responsible  officers  and  deputies,  at  the  expense  of  the  public,  and 
reenforced  as  strongly  as  may  be  necessary  by  public  authorities, 
rather  than  by  guards  hired  by  corporations  or  individuals.  The  fact 
that  deputies  are,  to  all  intents  and  purposes  the  employees  of  one  of 
the  parties,  usually  works  injury  to  the  cause  in  which  they  are 
engaged — that  of  preserving  peace  and  protecting  property. 

The  employment  of  what  are  known  as  “coal  and  iron  policemen,” 
by  the  coal-mining  companies,  while  a  necessity  as  things  are,  militates 
against  the  very  purpose  for  which  they  are  employed.  Although 


84  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

the  testimony  before  the  Commission  proved  that,  as  a  whole,  the 
coal  and  iron  policemen  were  men  of  good  character,  there  were  a 
sufficient  number  of  bad  characters,  taken  from  cities,  to  discredit  the 
efforts  of  the  whole  body.  The  employment  of  this  body  of  police  is 
authorized  by  law,  but  they  are  really  the  employees  of  the  coal  com¬ 
panies,  and  thus  do  not  secure  the  respect  and  obedience  to  which 
officers  of  the  law  are  entitled.  Their  presence  is  an  irritant,  and 
many  of  the  disturbances  in  the  coal  regions  during  the  late  strike 
grew  out  of  their  presence.  Should  this  matter  be  remedied  by  legis¬ 
lation,  so  that  the  laws  could  be  enforced  and  peace  preserved  by  a 
regularly  constituted  constabulary,  appointed  and  paid  by  the  county 
or  State,  the  Commission  believes  that  much  of  the  disorder  which 
accompanies  strikes  would  be  avoided. 

EMPLOYMENT  OF  CHILDREN. 

Another  subject,  not  a  matter  of  submission,  but  concerning  which 
much  testimony  was  offered,  is  that  of  the  employment  of  children. 
Boys  are  employed  in  the  breakers.  The  attention  of  the  Com¬ 
mission  was  called  to  the  painful  fact  that  in  other  industries  boys  and 
girls  are  employed,  and  work  long  hours  both  day  and  night.  While 
the  law  prescribes  the  ages  at  which  boys  may  be  employed  in  and 
around  the  mines,  and  at  which  children  may  be  employed  in  fac¬ 
tories  or  mills,  it  appears,  from  the  evidence,  that  the  age  is  not  placed 
sufficiently  high.  Infancy  should  be  protected  against  the  physical 
and  moral  influences  of  such  employment,  and  there  ought  to  be  a 
more  rigid  enforcement  of  the  laws  which  now  exist. 


COMPULSORY  INVESTIGATION. 

Your  letter  of  October  23,  1902,  stated  that  you  had  appointed  the 
undersigned  “a  Commission  to  inquire  into,  consider,  and  pass  upon 
the  questions  in  controversy  in  connection  with  the  strike  in  the 
anthracite  region,  and  the  causes  out  of  which  the  controversy  arose,” 
and  also  enjoined  upon  us  to  make  the  “endeavor  to  establish  the  rela¬ 
tions  between  the  employers  and  the  wage  workers  in  the  anthracite 
fields  on  a  just  and  permanent  basis,  and,  as  far  as  possible;  to  do  away 
with  any  causes  for  the  recurrence  of  such  difficulties  as  those  which 
you  have  been  called  in  to  settle.” 

We  believe  that  the  awards  we  have  made,  and  which  are  herewith 
submitted,  will  accomplish,  certainly  during  their  life,  the  high  aims 
contemplated  in  your  letter.  Faithful  adherence  to  the  terms  of  the 
awards  can  not  fail  to  accomplish  this;  but  in  order  to  secure  the  public 
against  long-continued  controversy,  and  to  make  a  coal  famine  or  a 
famine  in  any  other  direction  practically  impossible,  we  deem  it  essen- 


REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  85 


tial  that  there  should  be  some  authority  to  conduct  just  such  investiga¬ 
tions  as  that  you  called  upon  us  to  make. 

There  are  some  who  have  urged  the  Commission  to  recommend  the 
adoption  of  compulsory  arbitration,  so  called,  as  the  means  of  securing 
this  desired  result,  but  we  can  not  see  our  way  to  recommend  any 
such  drastic  measure.  We  do  not  believe  that  in  the  United  States 
such  a  system  would  meet  with  general  approval  or  with  success. 
Apart  from  the  apparent  lack  of  constitutional  power  to  enact  laws 
providing  for  compulsory  arbitration,  our  industries  are  too  vast 
and  too  complicated  for  the  practical  application  of  such  a  system. 

We  do  believe,  however,  that  the  State  and  Federal  governments 
should  provide  the  machinery  for  what  may  be  called  the  compulsory 
investigation  of  controversies  when  they  arise.  The  States  can  do 
this,  whatever  the  nature  of  the  controversy.  The  Federal  Govern¬ 
ment  can  resort  to  some  such  measure  when  difficulties  arise  by  reason 
of  which  the  transportation  of  the  United  States  mails,  the  operations, 
civil  or  military,  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  or  the  free 
and  regular  movement  of  commerce  among  the  several  States  and 
with  .  foreign  nations,  are  interrupted  or  directly  affected,  or  are 
threatened  with  being  interrupted  or  affected. 

The  Federal  Government  has  already  recognized  the  propriety  of 
action  under  the  circumstances  just  cited,  as  evidenced  in  the  act  cre¬ 
ating  boards  of  arbitration  or  commission  for  settling  controversies 
and  differences  between  railroad  corporations  and  other  common  car¬ 
riers  engaged  in  interstate  or  territorial  transportation  of  property  or 
persons,  and  their  employees,  approved  October  1,  1888.  Under  that 
act,  when  such  controversies  and  differences  arose,  the  President  was 
authorized,  on  the  application  of  either  of  the  contestants,  to  appoint 
a  commission  of  three  members  to  investigate  the  causes  surrounding 
the  difficulty.  That  act  was  cumbersome  in  its  provisions  and  was 
repealed  by  an  act  approved  June  1, 1898,  entitled  a  An  act  concerning 
carriers  engaged  in  interstate  commerce  and  their  empk^ees.’’ 

The  provisions  of  the  act  first  cited  were  applied  at  the  time  of  the 
Chicago  strike,  so  called,  of  1894.  There  has  been  no  resort  to  the 
act  of  June  1,  1898,  which  simply  provides,  so  far  as  the  Federal 
Government  is  concerned,  that  the  chairman  of  the  Interstate  Com¬ 
merce  Commission  and  the  Commissioner  of  Labor  shall,  upon  the 
request  of  either  party  to  a  controversy  coming  under  the  terms  of 
the  act,  with  all  practicable  expedition  put  themselves  in  communica¬ 
tion  with  the  parties  to 'such  controversy,  and  shall  use  their  best 
efforts,  by  mediation  and  conciliation,  to  settle  the  same  amicably; 
and  that  if  such  effort  shall  be  unsuccessful,  they  shall  at  once  endeavor 
to  bring  about  an  arbitration  of  the  controversy  in  accordance  with 
the  provisions  of  the  act.  The  duties  of  these  officials  then  cease, 
except  where  there  is  no  choice  of  a  referee  by  the  parties  selected  as 


86  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

arbitrators.  Then  the  commissioners  named  have  power  to  designate 
the  third  arbitrator.  Thus  the  principle  of  Federal  interference, 
through  investigation,  has  been  established  by  these  acts  of  Congress. 

We  print  in  the  appendix  a  paper  by  Charles  Francis  Adams,  read 
before  the  American  Civic  Federation  in  New  York  December  8, 1902, 
in  which  he  outlined  a  proposed  “act  to  provide  for  the  investigation 
of  controversies  affecting  interstate  commerce,  and  for  other  pur¬ 
poses.”  (a)  This  proposition  is  that  the  President,  whenever  within 
any  State  or  States,  Territory  or  Territories  of  the  United  States  a 
controversy  concerning  wages,  hours  of  labor,  or  conditions  of  employ¬ 
ment  shall  arise  between  an  employer  and  the  employees  or  association 
or  combination  of  employees  of  an  employer,  by  which  the  free  and 
regular  movement  of  commerce  among  the  several  States  and  with  for¬ 
eign  nations,  is  in  his  judgment  interrupted  or  directly  affected,  or 
threatened  with  being  so  interrupted  or  directly  affected,  shall,  in  his 
discretion,  inquire  into  the  same  and  investigate  the  causes  thereof, 
and  to  this  end  may  appoint  a  special  commission,  not  exceeding  seven 
in  number,  of  persons  in  his  judgment  specially  qualified  to  conduct 
such  an  investigation.  The  proposed  act  consists  of  eleven  sections, 
and  makes  provision  for  all  methods  of  procedure,  rules,  etc.,  requisite 
for  its  being  carried  into  effect. 

With  a  few  slight  modifications  such  an  act  would,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  Commission,  meet  just  such  an  emergency  as  that  which  arose  last 
summer  in  the  anthracite  coal  regions,  and  we  submit  it  to  you  for 
your  consideration.  A  similar  act  might  be  passed  by  the  States  not 
now  having  the  machinery  for  the  rigid  investigation  of  labor  troubles. 
Some  of  the  State  boards  of  arbitration  have  the  right  to  make  such 
investigation,  but  others  are  limited  simply  to  the  consideration  of 
controversies  when  voluntarily  submitted  to  them  by  the  parties 
concerned. 

These  suggestions  are  reenforced  through  the  consideration  of  a 
matter,  somewhat  without  the  scope  of  our  inquiries,  but  which  during 
their  progress  has  pressed  itself  upon  the  attention  of  the  Commis¬ 
sion,  and  that  is  the  apparent  lack  of  a  sense  of  responsibility  to  the 
public  at  large,  manifested  by  both  operators  and  mine  workers,  in 
allowing  the  controversy  between  them  to  go  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
entail  upon  millions  of  their  fellow-citizens  the  cruel  suffering  of  a 
fuel  famine. 

In  the  opinion  of  the  Commission  the  questions  involved  in  this 
controversy  were  not  of  such  importance  as  to  justify  forcing  upon 
the  public  consequences  so  fraught  with  danger  to  the  peace  and  good 
order  as  well  as  to  the  well-being  and  comfort  of  society.  If  neither 
party  could  have  made  concessions  to  avoid  a  result  so  serious,  an 
arbitration  would  have  prevented  the  extremity  which  was  reached. 
Undoubted^  the  proposition  that  the  men  who  own  the  property  and 


a  See  pages  243  to  251. 


REPORT  OE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION.  87 

carry  on  the  business  must  control  it,  is  generally  true,  and  its  main¬ 
tenance  is  necessary  to  the  political  and  economical  welfare  of  society; 
but  it  is  also  true  that  where  a  business  is  of  such  magnitude,  and  its 
physical  conditions  are  such  as  to  constitute  a  natural  monopoly,  it  is 
affected  with  a  public  interest  that  can  not  be  ignored  by  those  who 
control  it. 

The  Commission  trusts  that  when  the  time  during  which  its  awards 
are  to  remain  in  force  shall  have  elapsed,  the  relations  of  operator 
and  employee  will  have  so  far  improved,  as  to  make  impossible  such  a 
condition  as  existed  throughout  the  country  in  consequence  of  the 
strike  in  the  anthracite  region.  Nevertheless  the  public  has  the  right, 
when  controversies  like  that  of  last  year  cause  it  serious  loss  and  suf¬ 
fering*,  to  know  all  the  facts,  and  so  be  able  to  fix  the  responsibility. 
In  order  to  do  this  power  must  be  given  the  authorized  representa¬ 
tives  of  the  people  to  act  for  them  by  conducting  a  thorough  investi¬ 
gation  into  all  the  matters  involved  in  the  controversy.  This,  of 
course,  applies  only  to  those  cases  where  great  public  interests  are  at 
stake.  It  should  not  apply  to  petty  difficulties  or  local  strikes. 

The  chief  benefit  to  be  derived  from  the  suggestion  herein  made  lies 
in  placing  the  real  facts  and  the  responsibility  for  such  condition 
authoritatively  before  the  people,  that  public. opinion  may  crystal¬ 
lize  and  make  its  power  felt.  Could  such  a  commission  as  that 
suggested  have  been  brought  into  existence  in  June  last,  we  believe 
that  the  coal  famine  might  have  been  averted — certainly  the  suffering 
and  deprivation  might  have  been  greatly  mitigated. 

Ail  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

Geo.  Gray. 

Carroll  D.  Wright. 

John  M.  Wilson, 

John  L.  Spalding. 

Edgar  E.  Clark. 

Thomas  H.  Watkins. 

Edward  W.  Parker. 


•  \ 


. 

. 

t 

• 

' 


APPENDIX  A. 


NAMES  OF  PARTIES  AND  COUNSEL  AND 
THEIR  STATEMENT  OF  THE  CASE. 


89 


APPENDIX  A. 


NAMES  OF  PARTIES  AND  COUNSEL  AND  THEIR  STATEMENT  OF 

THE  CASE. 


PARTIES  TO  THE  HEARINGS  BEFORE  THE  COMMISSION. 


Striking  mine  workers. 

Nonunion  mine  workers. 

Delaware  and  Hudson  Company. 
Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  W estern  Rail¬ 
road  Company. 

Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company. 

Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company. 
Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  and  Hill¬ 
side  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 
Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron 
Company. 

Scranton  Coal  Company  and  Elk  Hill 
Coal  and  Iron  Company. 

Temple  Iron  Company. 

Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company. 

INDEPENDENT  OPERATORS. 

Austin  Coal  Company. 

Black  Diamond  Coal  Company. 

Buck  Run  Coal  Company. 

Carney  &  Brown. 

Clear  Spring  Coal  Company. 

Dolph  Coal  Company. 

East  Boston  Coal  Company. 

Enterprise  Coal  Company. 

Elliott,  McClure  &  Co. 

Gardner  Creek  Coal  Company. 

Gibbons  Coal  Company. 

Green  Ridge  Coal  Company. 


Jermyn  &  Co. 

Lee,  Geo.  F.,  &  Co. 

Nay-Aug  Coal  Company. 

Northern  Anthracite  Coal  Company. 
North  End  Coal  Company. 

Parish  Coal  Company. 

People’s  Coal  Company. 

Pine  Hill  Coal  Company. 

Raub  Coal  Company. 

Richmond,  Wm. 

Rissinger  Bros.  &  Co. 

Riverside  Coal  Company. 

Robertson  &  Law. 

Spencer,  A.  D.  &  F.  M. 

Stevens  Coal  Company. 

West  End  Coal  Company. 

Wyoming  Coal  and  Land  Company. 
Connell,  Win.,  &  Co. 

St.  Clair  Coal  Company. 

Markle,  G.  B.,  &  Co. 

Dodson,  C.  M.,  &  Co. 

Pardee,  A.,  &  Co. 

Pardee,  Calvin,  &  Co. 

Pardee  Bros.  &  Co. 

Silver  Brook  Coal  Company. 

Upper  Lehigh  Coal  Company. 

Van  Wickle,  A.  S.,  estate  of. 

Wentz,  J.  S.,  &  Co. 


LIST  OF  COUNSEL. 


Bedford,  Geo.  R.,  representing  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co. 

Brownell,  George  F.,  representing  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  and  Hillside  Coal 
and  Iron  Company. 

Brumm,  C.  N.,  representing  striking  mine  workers. 

Burns,  Ira  H.,  representing  independent  operators. 

Burr,  James  E.,  representing  Scranton  Coal  Company  and  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron 
Company. 

Darrow,  Clarence  S.,  representing  striking  mine  workers. 

91 


92  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


De  Forest  Bros.,  representing  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company. 

Dickson,  Samuel,  representing  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company;  G.  B.  Markle 
&  Co. ;  independent  operators. 

Gowen,  Francis  I.,  representing  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company. 

Hand,  Alfred,  representing  Scranton  Coal  Company  and  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron 
Company. 

Kearny,  J.  J.,  representing  striking  mine  workers. 

Kerr,  John  B.,  representing  Scranton  Coal  Company  and  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron 
Company. 

Lenahan,  James  L.,  representing  striking  mine  workers. 

Lenahan,  John  T.,  representing  nonunion  mine  workers. 

Lloyd,  Henry  D.,  representing  striking  mine  workers. 

MacAreagh,  Wayne,  representing  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  and  Hillside  Coal  and 
Iron  Company. 

McCarthy,  Daniel  J.,  representing  striking  mine  workers. 

McClintock,  Andrew  H.,  representing  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company. 
Murphy,  John  J.,  representing  striking  mine  workers. 

Newcomb,  H.  T.,  representing  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 
O’Brien,  Joseph,  representing  nonunion  mine  workers. 

Reynolds,  H.  C.,  representing  independent  operators. 

Ross,  Walter  W.,  representing  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Com¬ 
pany. 

Shea,  James  H.,  representing  striking  mine  workers. 

Shea,  John  F.,  representing  striking  mine  workers. 

Taylor,  W.  H.,  representing  St.  Clair  Coal  Company. 

Torrey,  James  H.,  representing  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company. 

Warren,  Everett,  representing  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company;  Hillside  Coal  and  Iron 
Company  ,  and  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company. 
Whalen,  J.  F.,  representing  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 
Willard,  Warren  &  Knapp,  representing  Temple  Iron  Company  and  Lehigh  Valley 
Coal  Company. 

Willcox,  David,  representing  Delaware  and  LIudson  Company. 

Wilson,  J.  R.,  representing  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company. 
Wolverton,  S.  P.,  representing  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 

DEMANDS  OF  UNION  MINE  WORKERS  AND  THEIR 

REASONS  THEREFOR. 

IN  THE  MATTER  OF  THE  ARBITRATION  BETWEEN  THE  OPERATORS 
AND  MINE  WORKERS  OF  THE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  REGION. 

To  the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike  Commission: 

The  mine  workers  make  of  the  operators  the  following  demands, 
which  were  formulated  by  the  Shamokin  convention  held  March  18  to 
24,  and  for  the  enforcement  of  which  the  strike  was  inaugurated: 

First.  An  increase  of  20  per  cent  upon  the  prices  paid  during  the 
year  1901  to  employees  performing  contract  or  piece  work. 

This  demand  is  made  on  account  of  the  following  reasons: 

(1)  The  present  rate  of  wages  is  much  lower  than  the  rate  of  wages 
paid  in  the  bituminous  coal  fields  for  substantially  similar  work. 

(2)  The  present  rate  of  wages  is  lower  than  is  paid  in  other  occupa¬ 
tions  requiring  equal  skill  and  training. 

(3)  The  average  annual  earnings  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  are 
much  less  than  the  average  annual  earnings  in  the  bituminous  coal 
fields  for  substantially  similar  work. 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS. 


93 


(4)  The  average  annual  earnings  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  are 
much  less  than  the  average  annual  earnings  for  occupations  requiring 
equal  skill  and  training. 

(5)  The  rate  of  wages  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  is  insufficient  to 
compensate  the  mine  workers  in  view  of  the  dangerous  character  of 
the  occupation,  in  relation  to  accidents,  the  liability  to  serious  and  per¬ 
manent  disease,  the  high  death  rate  and  the  short  trade  life  incident  to 
this  employment. 

(6)  The  annual  earnings  of  the  mine  workers  are  insufficient  to  main¬ 
tain  the  American  standard  of  living. 

(7)  The  increased  cost  of  living  has  made  it  impossible  to  maintain 
a  fair  standard  of  life  upon  the  basis  of  present  wages  and  has  not  only 
prevented  the  mine  workers  from  securing  any  benefit  from  increased 
prosperity,  but  has  made  their  condition  poorer  on  account  of  it. 

(8)  The  wages  of  the  anthracite  mine  workers  are  so  low  that  their 
children  are  prematurely  forced  into  the  breakers  and  mills  instead  of 
being  supported  and  educated  upon  the  earnings  of  their  parents. 

(9)  Wages  are  below  the  fair  and  just  earnings  of  mine  workers  in 
this  industry. 

Second.  A  reduction  of  20  per  cent  in  hours  of  labor  without  any 
reduction  of  earnings  for  all  employees  paid  by  the  hour,  day  or  week. 

The  second  demand  is  similar  to  the  first  in  that  it  is  designed  to 
increase  the  hourly  rate  of  wages  of  mine  workers  employed  by  the 
hour,  day  or  week,  and  all  the  reasons  applicable  to  the  first  demand 
are  asked  to  be  applied  to  the  second  without  repetition. 

In  addition  thereto  we  submit  the  following: 

(10)  The  ten-hour  day  is  detrimental  to  the  health,  life,  safety  and 
well-being  of  the  mine  workers. 

(11)  Shorter  hours  improve  the  physical,  mental  and  moral  condi¬ 
tion  of  the  workers. 

(12)  Shorter  hours  increase  the  intensity  and  efficiency  of  labor. 

(13)  The  tendency  of  National  and  State  governments,  of  organized 
trades  and  of  production  generally  is  toward  shorter  hours. 

(14)  A  working  day  of  eight  hours  is  sufficiently  long  for  the  best 
interests  of  the  workingmen  and  of  the  community. 

Third.  The  adoption  of  a  system  by  which  coal  shall  be  weighed  and 
paid  for  by  weight  wherever  practicable;  the  minimum  rate  per  ton  to 
be  60  cents  for  a  legal  ton  of  2,240  pounds;  the  differentials  now  exist¬ 
ing  at  the  various  mines  to  be  maintained. 

This  demand  is  made  on  account  of  the  following  reasons: 

(1)  Measurement  by  the  legal  ton  wherever  practicable  is  the  only 
honest  and  just  system  of  measuring  the  earnings  of  the  mine  workers. 

(2)  When  the  operators  sell  or  transport  coal  it  is  on  the  basis  of  a 
legal  ton  of  2,240  pounds. 

(3)  The  excessive  ton  was  originally  intended  to  compensate  the 
operator  for  the  weight  of  the  small  sizes  of  coal  which  were  then  dis¬ 
carded  but  which  are  now  utilized  and  sold  and  therefore  there  is  no 
present  necessity  for  the  use  of  any  other  than  the  legal  ton. 

(4)  The  adoption  of  this  system  would  remove  an  incentive,  both  to 
the  operator  and  the  worker,  to  cheating  and  dishonesty,  and  would 
allay  jealousy  among  the  miners  and  prevent  unjust  discrimination 
and  favoritism. 

(5)  The  change  of  the  present  system  to  the  one  asked  for  would 
prove  a  strong  factor  in  allaying  suspicion  and  discontent  amongst  the 
mine  workers. 


94  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

Fourth.  The  incorporation  in  an  agreement  between  the  United 
Mine  Workers  of  America  and  the  anthracite  coal  companies  of  the 
wages  which  shall  be  paid  and  the  conditions  of  employment  which 
shall  obtain,  together  with  satisfactory  methods  for  the  adjustment  of 
grievances  which  may  arise  from  time  to  time,  to  the  end  that  strikes 
and  lockouts  may  be  unnecessary. 

In  support  of  this  demand  we  submit  the  following  reasons: 

(1)  The  anthracite  mine  workers  should  not  be  compelled  to  make 
or  sign  individual  agreements  but  should  have  the  right  to  form  such 
organization  and  choose  such  agents  and  officers  as  they  desire  to  act 
collectively  instead  of  individually  whenever  they  deem  that  their  best 
interests  are  subserved  thereby. 

(2)  Agreements  between  employers  and  employees  through  work¬ 
ingmen’s  organizations  are  the  ordinary  methods  of  regulating  pro¬ 
duction  and  wages  in  the  bituminous  coal  fields  and  in  other  large 
industries,  and  are  beneficial,  successful  and  in  keeping  with  the  spirit 
of  the  times. 

(3)  Unions  of  workingmen  tend  to  better  discipline  of  the  men  and 
to  the  improvement  of  their  physical,  moral  and  mental  condition, 
and  to  the  preservation  of  friendly  relations  between  employer  and 
employee. 

(4)  Experience  shows  that  the  trade  agreement  is  the  only  effective 
method  by  which  it  is  possible  to  regulate  questions  arising  between 
emplo}rers  and  employed  in  large  industries,  and  that  a  trade  agree¬ 
ment  is  the  onty  possible  way  “to  establish  the  relations  between 
employers  and  the  wage  workers  in  the  anthracite  fields  on  a  just  and 
permanent  basis  and  as  far  as  possible  to  do  away  with  any  causes  for 
the  recurrence  of  such  difficulties  as  those  you  (the  Anthracite  Coal 
Strike  Commission)  have  been  called  in  to  settle.” 

Respectfully  submitted. 

John  Mitchell, 

Representative  of  the  Anthracite  Mine  Workers. 

DEMANDS  OF  NONUNION  MINE  WORKERS  AND  THEIR 

REASONS  THEREFOR. 

To  the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike  Commission: 

The  nonunion  mine  workers  we  represent  present  to  the  said  Com¬ 
mission  the  following  statement  of  their  demands: 

First.  For  an  increase  of  20  per  cent  upon  the  price  paid  during 
the  year  1901,  to  employees  performing  contract  and  piece  work. 

Second.  For  a  like  increase  of  20  per  cent  upon  the  prices  paid 
during  the  }7ear  1901,  to  employees  paid  by  the  hour,  day,  or  week. 

This  request  for  increased  wages,  rather  than  decrease  of  hours  of 
labor  is  earnestly  urged  because  such  increase  of  wages  will  apply  to 
the  class  of  labor  now  receiving  least  pay  at  the  mines,  and  being, 
therefore,  the  class  which  is  especially  in  need  of  increase  of  wages. 
Instead  of  desiring  a  reduction  in  the  hours  of  employment,  we  insist 
upon  a  right  to  work  as  many  hours  as  we  choose,  and  as  opportunity 
affords,  so  as  to  better  our  conditions  and  increase  our  earning  capac¬ 
ity;  and  we  insist  that  the  operators  shall  not  conduct  their  mines  in 
such  a  wa}7  as  to  favor  certain  workers  in  certain  chambers,  and  places 
of  labor,  to  the  detriment  of  others  who  are  willing  to  work.  At 
the  same  time,  we  insist  upon  the  right  of  any  of  us  to  do  as  much 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  95 

work  as  the  opportunity  in  the  particular  mine  affords  or  offers,  even 
though  it  may  result  in  less  work  being  done  by  another  employee, 
who,  through  indisposition,  is  not  willing  to  work  when  the  opportu¬ 
nity  affords,  or  by  reason  of  any  contract  with  the  mine-workers’ 
union  restricting  his  own  class  of  labor.  , 

Third.  We  demand  the  adoption  at  each  colliery  of  whatever 
methods  may  be  necessary  and  practicable  to  secure  for  the  miner  a 
minimum  rate  of  60  cents  per  ton  of  2,240  pounds  upon  all  coal  sold 
from  said  colliery,  the  differentials  now  existing  at  the  various  mines 
to  be  maintained. 

Fourth.  We  protest  against  the  making  of  any  agreement  between 
the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  and  our  employers,  determin¬ 
ing  what  wages  shall  be  paid  to  us,  and  what  shall  be  the  conditions 
of  our  employment,  or  pretending  to  deal  in  any  respect  whatever 
with  our  rights  or  interests  as  mine  workers. 

Fifth.  We  earnestly  protest  against  any  agreement  being  made  by 
our  employers  with  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  for  the 
reason  that  any  agreement,  if  made,  will  render  it  impossible  for  us 
to  continue  to  earn  our  living  by  our  labor  in  and  about  the  mine  in 
which  we  are  now  employed,  or  to  which  such  agreement  applies,  and 
will  subject  us  and  our  families  to  all  manner  of  abuse,  violence,  out¬ 
rage,  and  probably  murder. 

Sixth.  We  insist  that  it  shall  be  an  indispensable  condition  to  any 
dealing  whatever  with  any  members  of  the  Mine  Workers’  Union  of 
America  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  that  they  shall  be  effectually 
required  to  desist  from  all  manner  of  annoyance  to  us  and  to  oui 
families,  and  shall  permit  us  to  exercise  our  right  to  earn  our  living 
in  any  lawful  manner  we  choose,  and  under  any  conditions  which  die 
mutually  satisfactory  to  our  employers  and  ourselves.  .  . 

Seventh.  We  protest  against  any  rule,  limiting  or  restricting  the 
number  of  cars  to  be  furnished  to  a  contractor,  miner  or  laborer  for 
the  purpose  of  loading*  the  same,  whether  such  rule  be  made  eithei  )y 
the  operators,  the  United  Mine  Workers,  or  by  the  mutual  agreement 
of  both  of  them,  providing  that  the  furnishing  of  the  increased  number 
of  cars  to  any  contractor,  miner  or  laborer  does  not  in  any  way  restrict 
the  number  of  cars  to  be  furnished  others,  and  we  insist  that  a  rule 
shall  be  adopted  and  strictly  enforced,  compelling  drivers  in  the  mine 
or  those  having  charge  of  the  management  and  distribution  of  the 
mine  cars  to  the  miner,  contractor,  and  laborer  not  to  favor  any  par¬ 
ticular  miner,  contractor,  or  laborer  in  such  distribution  to  the  detn- 
ment  and  exclusion  of  other  contractors,  miners,  and  laboreis. 

Eighth.  We  believe  it  to  be  an  inalienable  and  undoubted  right  to 
work  when  we  can  obtain  it,  and  to  receive  as  compensation  foi  it  the 
best  price  we  can  obtain.  And  we  further  believe  that  the  laws  of  the 
land  vouchsafe  to  us  protection  from  insult,  outrage,  violence,  moles¬ 
tation  or  interference  in  the  performance  of  our  labors,  and  in  oiclei 
that  we  shall  not  be  disturbed  in  the  free  and  full  exercise  of  these 
rights,  we  most  respectfully  urge  that  the  assertion  of  them  be  made 

a  part  of  the  finding  in  this  proceeding.  ... 

Ninth.  In  our  effort  to  earn  a  livelihood  for  ourselves,  our  families 
and  those  dependent  upon  us,  we  have  been  most  outrageously  lntei - 
fered  with.  Our  homes  have  been  assaulted,  and  the  lives  of  ourselves 
and  those  dear  to  us  threatened.  On  our  way  to  and  from  work  we 
have  been  stoned,  clubbed,  beaten,  insulted,  jeered  at,  and  the  same 


96  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

course  of  outrageous  treatment  has  attended  us  at  our  places  of 
employment.  In  order  that  we  might  to  some  extent  be  protected  at 
our  work,  our  employers  have  been  obliged  to  have  guards  constantly 
with  us,  and  in  many  instances  it  became  necessary  to  escort  us  to  and 
from  work  to  our  homes.  The  sheriffs  and  their  posses  have  been 
obliged  to  issue  proclamation  after  proclamation  to  preserve  the  pub¬ 
lic  peace,  and  it  became  necessary  to  increase  their  deputies  and  forces 
to  a  large  number  in  and  about  all  the  collieries  in  the  anthracite  mine 
region,  with  a  view  to  insuring  the  public  tranquillity.  By  reason  of 
the  destruction  of  life  and  property  and  the  gravity  of  the  situation 
in  and  about  the  coal  fields,  it  became  necessary  for  the  governor  of 
the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  to  order  the  State  troops  to  the 
places  of  violence  and  disorder. 

And  this  serious  and  outrageous  course  of  conduct  toward  us  was  by 
no  means  confined  to  our  homes  and  places  of  employment.  It  fol¬ 
lowed  us  everywhere.  We  have  been  hung  in  effigy  in  public  places. 
The  vicious  and  unlawful  boycott  has  been  practiced  to  such  an  extent 
upon  us,  that  merchants  dealing  in  the  necessaries  of  life  have  been 
forbidden  to  furnish  us,  even  with  food  and  clothing.  In  church 
where  we  worship,  the  service  has  been  interrupted  by  members  of 
the  union  because  of  our  presence  there.  Our  names  have  been  pub¬ 
lished  in  conspicuous  places  as  being  “  unfair”  and  enemies  to  labor. 
In  very  many  instances,  we  have  been  obliged  to  stop  work  on  account 
of  fear,  and  we  have  been  in  constant  terror.  All  kinds  of  crimes, 
even  murder  of  our  comrades  and  fellow-workmen,  have  been  com¬ 
mitted,  for  no  other  reason  than  that  we  insisted  upon  our  right  to 
work,  and  against  this  course  of  conduct  we  emphatically  protest. 

Tenth.  We  hereby  guarantee  to  abide  by  the  decision  of  the 
Commission  on  all  questions  decided  by  them,  and  agree  that  whatever 
conclusion  it  reaches,  the  same  shall  be  final  and  conclusive. 

Nonunion  Mine  Workers. 

By  J ohn  T.  Lenaiian, 

Joseph  O’Brien, 

Attorneys. 

ANSWER  OF  DELAWARE  AND  HUDSON  COMPANY. 

BEFORE  THE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

The  answer  of  The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company,  a  corporation 
chartered  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York  and  authorized 
by  statutes  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  to  carry  on  business  in  said 
State,  to  the  demands  of  its  emplo3mes  engaged  in  the  various 
branches  of  its  coal  mining  business  in  Pennsylvania,  so  far  as  the 
same  are  represented  before  the  Commission  by  John  Mitchell. 

First.  The  first  demand  in  said  statement  is  for  an  increase  of  20 
per  cent  upon  the  prices  paid  during  the  year  1901,  to  employees  per¬ 
forming  contract  or  piece  work.  This  respondent  denies  each  and 
every  allegation  of  fact  contained  in  the  reasons  set  forth  in  support 
of  said  demand. 

This  respondent  at  all  times  wishes  and  endeavors  to  pay  to  all  of 
its  employees  prices  for  their  services  which  shall  be  just  and  adequate, 
and  believes  that  it  has  pursued  that  course  in  the  past.  During  the 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  97 


long  period  of  depression  prior  to  1900,  this  respondent  did  not  reduce 
the  same,  but  continued  to  make  the  same  rates  of  payment  so  that  its 
employees  should  not  be  distressed  by  the  prevailing  conditions  of 
business  and  the  difficulties  incident  to  marketing  its  product.  In 
October,  1900,  after  a  strike  of  considerable  duration,  this  respondent 
made  a  general  advance  of  10  per  cent  in  such  prices;  the  rates  so 
increased  have  been  continued  ever  since;  by  notices  posted  at  its  col¬ 
lieries  in  March  last  the  same  were  continued  until  April  1,  1903,  and 
thereafter  subject  to  sixty  days’  notice,  and  no  request  for  any  further 
increase  has  ever  been  presented  by  this  respondent’s  employees. 
Those  of  its  employees  who  perform  contract  or  piece  work,  as  a  mat¬ 
ter  of  their  own  volition  work  only  about  six  hours  a  day  and  take 
numerous  holidays,  without  the  consent  or  approval  of  this  respond¬ 
ent,  and  their  earnings,  by  hours  of  actual  work  are,  therefore,  much 
higher  than  those  in  any  similar  employment.  The  satisfactory  char¬ 
acter  of  the  conditions  prevailing  has  been  conclusively  shown  by  the 
facts  that,  without  any  effort  on  the  part  of  this  respondent,  for  many 
years  those  seeking  employment  have  thronged  to  the  region  and  as 
soon  as  the  recent  strike  was  terminated,  those  employees  of  this 
respondent  who  had  secured  other  employment,  immediately  aban¬ 
doned  the  same  and  returned  to  their  work  in  respondent’s  service  at 
the  present  rates  of  payment. 

The  work  of  bituminous  coal  mining  is  carried  on  throughout  the 
country  under  conditions  differing  so  materially  among  themselves 
and  als'o  from  those  of  anthracite  coal  mining,  that  there  is  no  uniform¬ 
ity  in  the  rate  of  wages  paid  in  that  industry,  and  neither  industry  is 
a  proper  standard  of  comparison  with  the  other.  The  rates  paid  to 
the  bituminous  miners  have  fluctuated  greatly  with  the  prosperity  of 
the  industry,  while  as  already  said,  those  paid  to  this  respondent’s 
employees  have  never  been  reduced  in  periods  of  business  depression. 
Still  further,  the  rates  paid  to  bituminous  miners  require  the  coal  to 
be  free  from  all  impurities  and  cover  the  service  of  loading  the  coal 
into  the  mine  cars,  while  the  anthracite  miners  hire  laborers  to  do  this 
for  them,  and  the  substance  which  they  send  out  contains  a  consider¬ 
able  amount  of  impurities  which  are  subsequently,  removed  in  the 
breaker.  Any  comparison  attempted  to  be  made  between  the  rates 
paid  in  the  two  industries  must,  therefore,  be  based  upon  the  amount 
paid  in  each  for  the  entire  service  of  mining  the  coal  and  loading  it 
upon  cars  and  upon  the  amounts  paid  for  clean  coal.  Moreover,  the 
bituminous  miners  are  for  the  most  part  under  contracts  requiring 
them  to  work  at  least  eight  hours  per  day  if  the  operator  wishes,  while 
the  anthracite  miners  do  not  average  more  than  six  hours  per  day  and 
this  difference  would  warrant  higher  rates  in  the  bituminous  industry 
as  it  would  diminish  the  fixed  charges.  Again,  anthracite  coal  requires 
large  expenditure  in  preparing  the  same  for  market,  from  which  bitu¬ 
minous  coal  is  free. 

The  prices  paid  by  this  respondent  to  its  employees  for  their  services 
are  higher  than  those  paid  in  the  same  region,  or  indeed  throughout 
the  country  generally  for  similar  services  in  other  lines  of  employment. 

Second.'  The  second  demand  is  for  a  reduction  of  20  per  cent 
in  hours  of  labor  without  any  reduction  of  earnings  for  all  employees 
paid  by  the  hour,  day  or  week.  This  respondent  denies  each  and  every 
allegation  of  fact  contained  in  the  reasons  set  forth  in  support  of  said 


S.  Doc.  6 - 7 


98  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

demand,  save  that  it  admits  that  there  has  recently  been  much  agita¬ 
tion  for  shorter  hours  on  the  part  of  organized  trades. 

This  demand  does  not  contemplate  that  the  aggregate  earnings  of  each 
employee  covered  thereby  shall  be  increased,  but  merely  that  he  shall 
work  a  shorter  time  for  the  same  amount  of  money.  It,  therefore, 
concedes  that  the  present  earnings  of  this  class  of  labor  are  sufficient, 
and,  in  fact,  the  labor  in  question  is  fully  paid  in  comparison  with 
other  labor  in  the  region  of  a  similar  character.  Inasmuch,  therefore, 
as  the  present  rates  are  adequate  for  the  service  rendered,  it  does  not 
seem  reasonable  that  such  service  shall  be  reduced.  This  respondent’s 
pumping  machinery  works  all  the  time,  and  the  best  results  are  obtained 
from  its  breakers  by  running  them  full  time  so  far  as  possible.  The 
labor  in  question  is  for  the  most  part  employed  in  connection  with 
these  parts  of  the  respondent’s  works  and  is  not  severe  in  its  character 
and  past  experience  has  shown  that  the  performance  thereof  has  had 
no  detrimental  physical  or  moral  effect.  The  reduction  of  hours  sug¬ 
gested  would  add  very  considerably  to  the  cost  of  production  and  to 
the  fixed  charges  which  must  be  met.  Such  addition  to  the  cost  of 
production  would  tend  to  permanently  increase  the  price  of  coal.  This 
increase  would  fall  upon  the  domestic  sizes  used  by  the  public  gener¬ 
ally  and  amounting  to  about  60  per  cent  of  the  entire  product  because 
the  small  sizes  compete  with  bituminous  coal  and  the  prices  thereof 
could  not  be  permanently  raised. 

The  real  question  at  issue  is  whether  the  wages  paid  by  this  respond¬ 
ent  to  its  emplo}^ees  are  reasonable  and  the  proper  measure  is  the  rate 
paid  by  the  hour  because  the  length  of  time  worked  by  the  day  is  not 
uniform,  and  owing  to  the  conditions  of  the  industry  can  not  be  made 
so.  For  the  reasons  above  stated  it  would  be  improper  and  unneces¬ 
sary  to  arbitrarily  increase  the  expense  of  mining  as  this  demand 
suggests. 

Third.  I  he  third  demand  is  for  the  adoption  of  a  system  by  which 
coal  shall  be  weighed  and  paid  for  by  weight  wherever  practicable; 
the  minimum  rate  per  ton  to  be  60  cents  for  a  legal  ton  of  2,210  pounds; 
the  differentials  now  existing  at  the  various  mines  to  be  maintained. 

This  demand  differs  materially  from  the  one  heretofore  presented 
to  the  operators,  which  was  merely  that  “coal  should  be  weighed  and 
paid  for  by  weight  wherever  practicable.”  This  respondent  denies 
each  and  every  allegation  of  fact  in  the  reasons  set  forth  in  support  of 
said  demand,  save  that  it  admits  that  when  it  sells  or  transports  coal 
it  is  on  the  basis  of  a  ton  of  2,240  pounds.  The  same  is,  however, 
coal  after  all  impurities  have  been  removed  from  it  and  the  coal  has 
been  fully  prepared  for  market,  while  the  substance  sent  out  by  the 
miner  from  the  mine  contains  a  large  amount  of  such  impurities  which 
must  be  removed  from  it  and  the  coal  prepared  for  market  in  the 
breaker.  The  two  matters  are,  therefore,  entirely  different. 

At  present  the  miners  are  paid  upon  the  basis  of  a  unit  of  the  mingled 
coal  and  slate  sent  out  by  the  miner,  consisting  of  a  mine  car,  or  of  a 
definite  weight  thereof.  If  a  man  is  paid  a  specified  amount  for  a  car 
load  or  for  a  specified  number  of  pounds  of  the  substance  which  he 
sends  from  the  mine,  it  has  no  relevancy  to  the  subject  to  say  that  he 
is  not  paid  by  the  ton.  The  parties  are  at  liberty  to  settle  the  unit  of 
payment  as  they  see  fit  and  no  injustice  is  done  thereby.  This  demand 
by  its  terms  admits  that  the  s}'Stem  suggested  is  not  in  all  cases  prac¬ 
ticable.  rI  herefore  there  can  be  no  general  rule  applicable  to  all  cases. 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  99 


This  respondent  has  for  many  years  paid  its  miners  for  coal  mined 
by  weight  at  many  of  its  mines  at  rates  mutually  satisfactory  to  it  and 
them.  The  unit  upon  which  payment  is  made  at  these  mines  was  fixed 
after  careful  experiment  and  by  mutual  agreement  as  the  amount  neces¬ 
sary  to  produce  a  ton  of  2,240  pounds  of  marketable  coal  after  the 
removal  of  impurities  by  passing  through  the  breaker.  At  other  of 
respondent’s  mines  where  this  method  has  not  been  practicable,  pay¬ 
ment  has  been  made  by  the  car,  the  cubical  capacity  of  the  car  being 
definitely  fixed  so  as  to  produce  a  marketable  ton,  as  nearly  as  could 
be  calculated;  and  the  rates  per  car  being  agreed  upon  after  full  dis¬ 
cussion  between  this  respondent  and  its  miners,  so  as  to  yield  the  miner 
a  fair  and  full  remuneration  for  his  labor.  No  complaint  has  been 
made  to  respondent  by  its  employees  of  an}^  inequality  in  pay  for  sim¬ 
ilar  work  by  reason  of  this  diversity  of  methods,  and  there  is  none  in 
fact.  This  respondent  is,  however,  at  all  times  ready  to  take  up  with 
its  employees  at  its  several  collieries  any  questions  which  may  be  raised 
as  to  the  practicability  of  extending  the  weighing  system  or  of  equal¬ 
izing  rates  in  any  way.  The  end  to  be  secured  is  fair  pay  for  work 
done  which  shall  be  as  nearly  equal  in  the  varying  mines  and  veins  as 
practicable.  The  present  methods  are  the  result  of  man}^  years  of 
experiment  and  mutual  conference  between  respondent  and  its  employ¬ 
ees;  and  are  more  equitable  than  would  be  a  new  and  untried  system 
based  on  purely  theoretical  premises.  Since  it  is  not  demanded  that 
the  rates  per  ton  shall  be  uniform,  no  gain  in  equality  would  be  made 
by  fixing  a  definite  weight.  There  are  two  factors  in  the  problem  of 
the  miners’  pay  for  coal  mined,  viz. :  (a)  Quantity  or  weight,  (h)  rates 
of  pa}^.  Nothing  can  be  gained  in  the  direction  of  uniformity  of  result 
by  fixing  absolutely  one  factor  if  the  other  may  be  indefinitely  varied. 
If  the  Commission  could,  in  the  time  at  its  disposal,  satisfactorily  deter¬ 
mine  which,  if  any,  of  respondent’s  collieries  can  practicably  adopt  the 
weighing  system,  and  should  advise  such  adoption,  it  would  then  be 
necessary  to  fix  new  rates  for  all  the  varying  veins  in  such  collieries 
in  such  way  as  to  reach  the  same  result  already  reached  in  passing 
upon  the  first  demand. 

As  this  demand  seeks  to  set  up  a  new  standard  of  payment  for  the 
miners,  it  is  really  a  branch  of  the  first  demand  and  the  two  must  be 
taken  together  and  applied  practically  to  the  production  of  the  mines 
to  determine  how  far  they  would  affect  the  existing  rates  paid  to  the 
miners.  The  suggestion  of  a  minimum  rate  of  60  cents  per  ton  of 
2,240  pounds  is  purely  arbitrary,  and  no  reason  is  assigned  for  its 
adoption.  It  has  not  the  character  of  a  uniform  method  of  payment, 
because  it  includes  retaining  the  present  differentials.  As  already  said, 
it  therefore  raises  no  question  save  whether  the  rates  already  paid  are 
sufficient;  that  is  to  say,  the  question  arising  under  the  first  demand. 
To  adopt  this  suggestion  and  attach  to  it  the  differentials  now  existing 
would  involve  an  entire  readjustment  of  the  rates  as  above  stated  with 
no  practical  advantage.  The  differentials  existing  in  the  different 
mines,  and  frequently  in  the  different  veins  of  the  same  mines,  have 
been  adopted  from  time  to  time  by  agreement  between  this  respondent 
and  its  employees,  without  reference  to  any  such  minimum  as  is  now 
suggested,  and  to  fix  a  minimum  and  preserve  the  differentials  would 
lead  to  endless  confusion,  and  be  wholly  inconsistent  with  the  grounds 
leading  to  the  establishment  of  such  differentials  in  the  first  place. 

Inasmuch  as  this  demand  lays  stress  upon  the  fact  that  this  respondent 


100  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

sells  and  ships  coal  the  ton  of  2,240  pounds,  it  seems  proper  to 
again  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  this  is  not  the  substance  sent  from 
the  mine,  but  merchantable  coal  prepared  for  sale  by  the  operations 
of  the  breaker.  If  this  should  be  made  the  unit  of  payment  to  the 
miners,  it  should,  of  course,  be  the  same  substance — namely,  mer¬ 
chantable  coal  prepared  for  sale.  This  might  be  applied  by  weighing 
the  merchantable  coal  after  the  same  had  been  run  through  the  breaker 
and  the  amount  payable  therefor  might  be  then  divided  among  the 
miners  in  proportion  to  the  quantities  produced  by  them  respectively. 
In  that  case  the  sum  payable  for  each  ton  of  merchantable  coal  would 
necessarily  be  fixed  in  connection  with  the  first  demand,  as  it  then 
would  be  a  question  entirely  what  prices  should  be  paid  to  the  miners 
for  their  services. 

The  fourth  demand  is  for  the  incorporation  in  an  agreement  between 
the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  and  the  anthracite  coal  com¬ 
panies  of  the  wages  which  shall  be  paid  and  the  conditions  of  employ¬ 
ment  which  shall  obtain. 

The  reasons  set  forth  in  support  of  said  demand  are  mainly  expres¬ 
sions  of  opinion;  so  far  as  they  contain  any  allegations  of  facts,  this 
respondent  denies  them.  No  such  demand  as  this  was  formulated  by 
the  Shamokin  convention  of  March.  1902,  or  has  ever  been  presented 
to  this  respondent,  and  Mr.  Mitchell  has  frequently  stated  that  he  did 
not  demand  on  behalf  of  the  anthracite  employees  recognition  of  the 
United  Mine  Workers’  association.  The  operators’  submission  clearly 
expressed  their  unwillingness  to  enter  into  relations  with  the  United 
Mine  Workers’  association,  especially  because  it  would  sacrifice  the 
rights  of  nonunion  men,  and  stated  as  the  subject-matter  of  the  sub¬ 
mission  “all  questions  at  issue  between  the  respective  companies  and 
their  own  employees  whether  they  belong  to  a  union  or  not.”  It 
is,  therefore,  respectfully  submitted  that  this  fourth  demand  is  not 
within  the  scope  of  the  present  submission.  But  even  if  this  were 
not  the  case,  this  demand  should  not  be  granted  for  the  following 
reasons: 

1.  The  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  is  an  association  composed 
of  a  large  number  of  miners  and  laborers,  including'  many  minor 
children  each  of  whom  is  entitled  to  half  a  vote,  engaged  throughout 
the  country  in  mining  anthracite  and  bituminous  coals,  which  are 
competitive  products.  It  has  divided  the  whole  country  into  various 
districts,  each  of  which  is  represented  by  a  president  and  embraces 
local  unions  and  seeks  to  induce  everyone  engaged  in  the  industry  to 
join  the  organization.  The  affairs  of  the  association  are  managed  by 
an  executive  board  having  its  headquarters  at  Indianapolis  and  by 
conventions  called  from  time  to  time  representing  the  entire  organi¬ 
zation.  The  object  and  practice  of  the  association  are  so  far  as  possi¬ 
ble  to  regulate  the  suppl}7  of  labor  engaged  in  the  occupation  of  coal 
mining  throughout  the  country  arid  the  terms  of  employment  thereof. 
It  thus  consists  of  one  central  organization  which  seeks  to  control  the 
production  of  fuel  everywhere  throughout  the  country  and  embraces 
in  its  membership  a  very  much  larger  number  of  bituminous  than 
anthracite  mine  workers.  Its  ultimate  object  is  to  control  the  entire 
fuel  supply  of  the  country.  It  opposes  the  introduction  of  labor-sav¬ 
ing  machinery ;  seeks  to  limit  the  supply  of  labor,  and  reduce  all  to 
the  standard  of  the  least  efficient,  and  to  systematically  raise  the  cost 
of  production.  It  sets  up  extravagant  demands  in  order  to  serve  as  a 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  101 


basis  of  compromise.  It  habitually  enforces  its  orders  and  directions 
by  whatever  means  may  be  most  effectual,  including  sympathetic 
strikes,  boycotts,  picketing  and  the  like,  not  confined  to  its  own  mem¬ 
bers  alone,  but  in  which  are  compelled  to  join  as  far  as  possible  all 
other  persons  similarly  employed.  Its  methods  have  been  frequently 
condemned  by  the  courts,  and  its  response  has  consisted  mainly  in 
criticism  of  the  judiciary.  Both  the  purpose  of  the  association  and  its 
method  of  accomplishing  its  results  are,  therefore,  of  doubtful  legal¬ 
ity  and  its  tendency  is  to  obstruct  the  progress  and  prosperity  of  the 


country. 

2.  The  United  Mine  Workers’  association  is  an  unincorporated  body 
with  a  constantly  shifting  membership;  it  declines  to  become  incor¬ 
porated,  and  opposes  any  system  of  arbitration  which  shall  compel  it 
to  any  course  of  action.  It  is,  therefore,  incapable  of  making  a  con¬ 
tract  which  has  any  binding  effect  upon  anybody.  So,  too,  this 
respondent  is  a  corporation  engaged  in  the  management  of  its  own 
affairs;  is  not  connected  with  others  in  the  same  line  of  business,  and 
is  incapable  of  making  contracts  for  the  performance  of  services  save 
with  its  own  employees.  There  would,  therefore,  be  no  propriety  or 
legal  force  in  making  a  contract  with  an  unincorporated  association 
the  bulk  of  the  members  of  which  are  not  engaged  in  this  respondent’s 
business  or  even  residents  of  the  localities  where  the  same  is  carried 
and  would  be  unable  to  perform  any  such  contract,  even  if  it 


on 


imposed  any  legal  obligation  upon  them.  It  is,  indeed,  a  complete 
misnomer  to  call  any  such  proposed  arrangement  a  contract  as  it  would 
bind  nobody  and  would  be  incapable  of  enforcement. 

3.  The  United  Mine  Workers’  association  has  shown  its  inability  to 
control  its  own  members.  After  the  settlement  of  the  strike  of  Octo¬ 
ber,  1900,  upon  terms  which  were  accepted  by  the  organization  of  the 
mine  workers’  association,  local  strikes  and  disturbances  were  more 
frequent  than  they  had  ever  been  before.  Moreover,  during  the  strike 
which  has  just  terminated,  notwithstanding  public  expressions  of  the 
officers  of  the  Mine  Workers’  association  in  favor  of  preservation  of 
the  peace,  there  were  constant  disturbances  and  acts  of  violence,  which 
were  finally  fully  recognized  by  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
rendered  necessary  calling  out  the  entire  militia  of  the  State  by  a 
proclamation  which  stated  that  conditions  of  tumult  and  disorder 
existed  which  were  constantlv  increasing. 

4.  Inasmuch  as  the  United  Mine  Workers’  association  has  frequently 
expressed  its  indisposition  to  work  with  nonunion  men,  the  effect  of  a 
contract  such  as  suggested  would  be  to  exclude  from  employment  in 
the  mines  all  men  not  belonging  to  said  association  and  to  deny  to 
them  the  opportunity  to  labor  to  which  they  are  entitled.  It  would 
also  have  the  effect  of  turning  over  the  control  of  this  respondent’s 
business  to  those  who  are  not  interested  in  its  efficient  prosecution, 
and  would  destroy  the  effective  discipline  which  is  indispensable  to 


successful  mining  operations. 

5.  This  respondent  has  never  discriminated  against  members  of 
any  labor  organization  and  does  not  desire  to  do  so  now.  Such  organi¬ 
zations  have  in  fact  existed  in  its  mines  and  in  its  service  generally  for 
many  years.  Its  position  is  that  the  members  of  no  such  organization 
shall  discriminate  against  or  refuse  to  work  with  nonunion  men;  that 
there  shall  be  no  restriction  or  deterioration  in  the  quantity  or  quality 
of  work  by  reason  of  the  existence  or  action  of  any  such  union,  and 


102  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


that  the  successful  prosecution  of  its  business  requires  that  all  its 
employees  shall  be  treated  with  equal  justice,  and  the  management  of 
its  property  shall  remain  in  the  hands  of  those  to  whom  it  is  entrusted 
b}T  law. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company, 
By  R.  M.  Olyphant,  President. 

David  Willcox, 

James  H.  Torrey, 

Of  Counsel. 


ANSWER  OF  DELAWARE,  LACKAWANNA  AND  WESTERN 

RAILROAD  COMPANY. 

anthracite  strike  commission. 


Before  the  Honorable 

George  Gray, 

Chairman , 
John  M.  Wilson, 

E.  W.  Parker, 

E.  E.  Clark, 

Thos.  H.  Watkins, 

John  J.  Spalding, 
Carroll  D.  Wright, 

Recorder. 


*  Commissioners. 


The  answer  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Com¬ 
pany  to  the  demands  made  by  John  Mitchell,  representative  of  cer¬ 
tain  of  the  anthracite  mine  employees. 


I. 

The  first  demand  made  by  the  representative  of  a  portion  of  the 
employees  of  this  company  engaged  in  mining  anthracite  coal  is  that 
it  shall  increase  the  wages  of  such  employees  performing  contract  or 
piecework  in  its  mines  20  per  cent  and  in  reply  to  this  demand  and 
to  the  several  reasons  given  in  support  thereof  this  respondent  says: 

It  is  a  corporation,  duly  organized  and  existing  under  the  laws  of 
the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  is  authorized  thereby  to  own  and 
operate  coal  mines  and  railroads  and  to  buy  and  sell  coal.  This  com¬ 
pany  owns  and  operates  about  25  anthracite  collieries  in  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania  and  employs  about  12,000  persons  in  that  branch  of  its 
business. 

This  company  has  always  sought  to  pay  its  employees  fair  and 
reasonable  wages,  and  that  it  has  done  so  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact 
that  it  has  always  been  able  to  obtain  all  of  the  emplo}^ees  it  required 
in  the  conduct  of  its  business.  This  statement  is  subject  to  one 
exception,  and  that  is,  that  during  the  recent  strike  it  was  unable  to 
obtain  all  the  employees  it  required  to  conduct  its  business,  but  it  was 
not  due  to  the  fact  that  the  wages  and  conditions  of  employment  were 
not  attractive  to  persons  seeking  employment  from  this  company,  but 
it  was  due  to  the  fact  that  by  reason  of  the  lawless  methods  adopted 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  103 

by  the  association  known  as  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America, 
the  men  desiring  to  work  were  prevented  from  so  doing  by  reason  of 
the  many  acts  of  violence  performed  against  such  men  by  the  mem¬ 
bers  of  said  association.  This  company  also  states  that  it  is  reliably 
informed  that  80  per  cent  of  its  employees  were  opposed  to  entering 
upon  this  strike  but  were  forced  to  strike  by  a  majority  vote  of  this 
organization  in  other  fields. 

This  company  denies  that  the  work  of  its  mining  employees  engaged 
in  mining  anthracite  coal  is  similar  to  that  of  the  bituminous  miner, 
but  alleges  the  fact  to  be  that  there  is  great  dissimilarity  in  the  anthra¬ 
cite  mines  and  veins  and  methods  of  mining  coal  therein,  and  when 
these  conditions  are  compared  with  those  prevailing  in  the  bituminous 
mines  and  veins  they  will  be  found  to  be  so  widely  different  that  no 
fair  comparison  can  be  made. 

It  alleges  the  fact  to  be  also  that  the  conditions  prevailing  in  the 
various  anthracite  coal  mines  and  veins  are  so  varied  and  different  that 
it  is  necessary,  in  order  to  obtain  men  to  mine  the  coal,  to  pay  them 
prices  to  correspond,  or  prices  that  will  enable  a  miner  working  in  a 
thin  vein  to  earn  as  much  as  a  miner  working  in  a  good  or  thick  vein 
for  the  same  amount  of  labor  performed.  This  company,  therefore, 
submits  that  it  is  impossible  to  adopt  a  uniform  rate  to  be  paid  to  the 
miner  for  a  unit  or  definite  amount  of  coal  mined  by  him  at  all  mines, 
and  urges  that  the  question  of  what  is  a  fair  wage  can  be  determined 
only  by  examining  the  conditions  of  mining  coal  prevailing  at  each 
colliery  which  this  company  operates.  It  is  necessary  to  take  into  con¬ 
sideration  the  ease  or  the  difficulty  attendant  upon  mining  coal  from 
each  particular  one  of  its  veins  in  which  it  is  engaged  in  mining  coal. 
It  is,  therefore,  clear  that  the  first  reason  given  by  the  representative 
of  the  anthracite  mine  workers  in  support  of  his  first  demand  that  the 
wages  paid  in  the  bituminous  fields  for  similar  work  are  greater  than 
those  paid  by  this  company  to  its  employees  in  the  anthracite  mines  is 
vague,  indefinite  and  irrelevant. 

This  company  denies  that  the  present  rate  of  wages  paid  by  it  to  such 
employees  is  lower  than  that  paid  in  other  occupations  requiring  equal 
skill  and  training,  and  it  says  if  such  were  the  fact  its  employees  would 
seek  and  obtain  employment  elsewhere  rather  than  continue  to  work 
for  the  alleged  inadequate  compensation  paid  by  such  company. 

This  company  is  not  informed  as  to  the  average  amount  earned  per 
annum  by  workers  in  the  bituminous  coal  field,  nor  as  to  how  such 
average  compares  with  the  average  annual  earnings  of  workers  in  this 
company’s  anthracite  coal  mines,  and  asks  that  proof  of  the  tr uth  of 
this  claim  be  made.  It  is  unfair  to  attempt  to  compare  the  annual 
earnings  of  all  anthracite  employees  with  the  average  earnings  of  all 
bituminous  employees,  for  the  following  reasons:  {cl)  There  is  a  larger 
proportion  of  young  men  and  boys  emplo}7ed  in  the  anthracite  mines 
than  in  the  bituminous  for  the  purpose  of  breaking,  preparing  and 
cleaning  coal;  (b)  the  anthracite  miners  have  not  as  a  rule  worked  as 
many  hours  at  mining  coal  per  day  as  the  bituminous  mineis. 

This  company  denies  that  the  ^average  earnings  of  its  employees 
engaged  in  mining  coal  are  much  less  than  the  average  annual  earnings 
of  other  occupations  requiring  equal  skill  and  training,  and  it  asks  that 
the  petitioner  be  required  to  prove  this  allegation. 

During  the  recent  strike  as  also  during  the  strike  of  1900  many  of 
its  mine  employees  sought  and  secured  employment  in  bituminous  coal 


104  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

mines,  others  secured  work  in  other  than  mining  industries,  but  imme¬ 
diately  after  these  strikes  were  over  practically  all  these  men  returned 
to  the  employ  of  this  company  and  none  of  consequence  continued 
work  in  their  new  places.  It  submits  that  this  would  not  have  resulted 
had  these  employees  been  so  inadequately  paid  as  is  claimed. 

It  submits  furthermore  that  during  the  present  period  of  unequaled 
prosperity  throughout  the  country,  if  this  company’s  mine  employees 
had  been  so  grossly  underpaid  as  claimed  they  would  have  sought 
employment  elsewhere  and  in  other  lines  of  work  requiring  similar 
and  equal  skill  and  training.  It  alleges  the  fact  to  be  that  its  mine 
employees  have  not  done  this  but  have  seemed  anxious  to  continue  in 
the  employ  of  this  company  at  the  wages  and  under  the  conditions 
obtaining. 

It  admits  that  the  work  of  a  portion  of  its  employees  in  the  mines  is 
of  a  hazardous  character,  rendering  them  liable  to  accidents,  particu¬ 
larly  if  discipline  is  not  maintained  and  they  fail  to  live  up  to  the  com¬ 
pany’s  rules,  and  the  anthracite  mining  laws.  It  denies,  however,  that 
the  work  of  this  element  of  its  mine  employees  is  substantially  more 
dangerous  in  character  than  that  of  many  of  its  employees  engaged  in 
the  transportation  service  of  its  railroad,  who  are  paid  no  higher  rates 
of  wages  and  in  some  cases  less  than  its  mine  workers.  It  denies  that 
the  work  of  the  balance  of  its  anthracite  mine  employees  is  of  a  dan¬ 
gerous  character  or  renders  them  particularly  liable  to  accident. 

It  denies  that  any  of  its  mine  employees  are  unduly  liable  to  serious 
or  permanent  disease  or  that  the  death  rate  among  them  due  to  disease 
is  high,  or  that  incidental  to  their  employment  their  lives  are  short¬ 
ened,  and  asks  for  proof  of  this  claim. 

It  is  not  informed  and  has  no  means  of  definitely  ascertaining  what 
is  regarded  as  the  u American  standard  of  living”  to  the  maintenance 
of  which  the  annual  earnings  of  its  mine  employees  or  any  of  them, 
are  alleged  to  be  insufficient.  It  asks  that  this  claim  be  more  accu¬ 
rately  and  definitely  set  forth. 

It  alleges  however,  that  judging  by  the  character  of  homes  in  which 
its  mine  employees  live,  the  large  percentage  of -whom  own  their  own 
homes,  the  thrifty  appearance  of  themselves  and  families  as  seen  on 
Sundays  and  holidays  when  not  at  work,  the  infrequent  cases  where 
their  wages  in  the  hands  of  the  company  are  held  to  satisfy  legal  proc¬ 
ess,  the  large  aggregate  of  savings  held  in  savings  banks  and  building 
and  loan  associations,  the  large  sums  the  foreign  element  of  the  mine 
employees  monthly  remit  to  their  relatives  in  other  countries,  the  mine 
workers  in  its  employ  are  on  an  average  as  prosperous,  comfortable 
and  contented  (or  were,  prior  to  the  introduction  of  agitators  and  mis¬ 
chief-makers  among  them)  as  any  body  of  workers  in  similar  employ¬ 
ment  engaged  in  the  promotion  of  any  industry  in  this  country. 

It  denies  the  truth  of  the  allegation  that  the  increased  cost  of  living 
has  made  it  impossible  to  maintain  a  fair  standard  of  living  upon  the 
present  basis  of  wages. 

It  alleges  that  the  increase  in  the  number  of  days  worked  by  its  mine 
employees  in  addition  to  previous  increase  in  their  rates  of  wages  has 
not  only  fully  covered  the  increase  in  cost  of  living  but  has  enabled 
its  frugal  and  careful  employees  to  save  a  substantial  amount  per 
annum  in  addition  thereto. 

It  admits  that  some  of  its  anthracite  mine  employees  force  their 
children  to  work  in  the  breakers  and  mills,  but  denies  that  this  is  the 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  105 


result  of  the  low  wages  paid  them,  or  that  it  is  due  to  any  but  the  com¬ 
mon  causes  that  influence  parents  engaged  in  other  pursuits  to  force 
their  children  to  work  at  an  early  age.  As  a  rule  in  mining,  as  in  all 
other  industries,  this  action  is  largely  due  to  either  the  incapacity, 
improvidence  or  cupidity  of  the  parents.  It  denies  that  it  employs 
any  persons  to  work  in  its  breaker  or  mines  except  those  who  are  of 
sufficient  age  as  prescribed  by  the  acts  of  assembly  in  Pennsylvania  in 
such  cases  made  and  provided. 

It  denies  that  the  wages  paid  by  it  are  below  the  fair  and  just  earn¬ 
ings  of  mine  workers  in  this  industry,  and  asks  that  proof  of  this 
assertion  be  made. 


II. 

For  reply  to  the  demand  that  a  reduction  of  20  per  cent  in  hours  of 
labor,  without  any  reduction  of  earnings,  for  all  employees  paid  by 
the  hour,  day  or  week,  it  says  that  this  demand  is  unreasonable,  unfair 
and  unjust,  and  the  reasons  given  in  support  of  said  demand  are  neither 
sound  nor  true.  On  the  contrary,  it  alleges  that  it  is  an  axiom  that 
the  success  of  an  individual  man  depends  almost  entirely  upon  the 
concentrating  of  his  efforts  on  the  work  in  which  he  is  engaged  for  a 
reasonable  number  of  hours  of  the  day.  The  experience  of  a  great 
many  years  has  demonstrated  that  it  is  not  unreasonable  for  man  to 
labor  ten  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four.  The  farmer,  the  business  and 
professional  man  seldom  succeed  by  giving  but  eight  hours  of  their 
time  to  their  work;  why  should  the  miners  be  thus  restricted  in  their 
opportunities  of  earning  and  of  development. 

The  contract  miner  is  not  paid  by  the  hour,  day  or  week,  but  is  paid 
for  the  amount  of  coal  he  mines.  In  order  to  afford  him  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  to  labor  a  reasonable  number  of  hours,  if  he  so  desires,  it  is 
necessary  to  keep  the  mining  plant  in  operation,  and  the  men  employed 
in  that  branch  of  work  must  labor  a  reasonable  number  of  hours.  The 
axiom  applies  to  one  or  many.  No  such  business  employing  thousands 
of  men  can  hope  to  compete  successfully  in  the  markets  of  the  world 
if  its  hours  of  labor  are  restricted  between  7  a.  m.  and  3  or  3.30  p.  m. 

It  denies  that  the  ten-hour  day  is  detrimental  to  the  health,  life, 
safety  and  well-being  of  the  mine  emp^ees;  or  that  shorter  hours 
necessarily  improve  the  physical,  mental  and  moral  condition  of  the 
workers;  or  that  shorter  hours  would  increase  the  intensity  and  efficiency 
of  this  company’s  mine  employees,  and  asks  that  this  claim  be  proven. 

It  admits  that  the  tendency  of  National  and  State  governments  and 
organized  trades  is  generally  towards  shorter  hours,  but  alleges  that 
this  is  almost  wholly  due  to  the  fact  that  political  influence  is  exerted 
to  this  end  in  order  to  satisfy  the  demands  continually  made  that  the 
Government,  State  and  municipal  patronage  shall  benefit  as  many 
people  as  possible. 

This  company  alleges  that  the  wonderful  development  of  this  coun¬ 
try  and  the  unequaled  prosperity  of  its  people,  including  the  laboring 
element  thereof,  has  been  acquired  as  a  result  of  the  wonderful  activ¬ 
ity,  industry  and  productiveness  of  the  individual  man;  that  this  con¬ 
dition  of  prosperity  has  been  reached  under  conditions  where  a  ten-hour 
day  for  work  has  been  regarded  as  a  standard  working  day  for  men  in 
many  walks  of  life. 

Under  this  condition  the  physical,  mental,  moral  and  financial  con- 


106  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


dition  of  the  laboring  man  of  this  country  has  steadily  improved  and 
this  respondent  believes  that  the  claims  made  by  the  advocates  of  the 
eight-hour  day  are  not  those  which  really  govern  their  action. 

This  company  alleges  that  it  is  now  and  has  for  some  years  operated 
its  collieries  to  their  full  capacity  and  given  employment  to  as  many 
men  as  it  could  use  to  advantage.  The  reduction  of  the  hours  of  work 
from  ten  to  eight  would  materially  restrict  the  production  of  anthra¬ 
cite  coal  to  consumers  throughout  the  country,  and  the  increased  cost 
of  labor,  together  with  the  fixed  charges  on  account  of  pumping,  ven¬ 
tilation,  etc.,  would  largely  increase  the  cost  of  production.  This 
would  necessitate  a  price  that  would  either  tend  to  force  the  public  to 
use  bituminous  coal  or  still  further  restrict  the  consumption  of  anthra¬ 
cite,  which  would  in  turn  act  to  the  disadvantage  of  this  company  and 
its  employees  and  impose  an  additional  burden  or  cost  on  the  public  in 
the  use  of  a  necessary  of  civilized  life  in  this  zone. 


III. 

Answering  the  demand  for  the  adoption  of  a  system  by  which  coal 
shall  be  weighed,  and  paid  for  by  weight  wherever  practicable,  th© 
minimum  rate  per  ton  to  be  60  cents  for  the  legal  ton  of  2,240  pounds, 
the  differential  as  now  existing  at  the  various  mines  to  be  maintained 
and  the  reasons  set  forth  in  paragraphs  1  to  5  inclusive  for  such  demand: 

(1)  It  denies  that  measurement  by  the  legal  ton  is  the  only  honest 
and  just  system  of  measuring  the  earnings  of  its  mine  employees  and 
asks  for  proof  of  this  assertion. 

(2)  It  admits  that  when  it  sells  or  transports  coal  it  does  so  on  the 
basis  of  a  ton  of  2,240  pounds. 

(3)  As  this  company  pays  its  miners  for  the  labor  performed  in  min¬ 
ing  its  coal  by  the  car  and  in  pitching  veins  by  the  yard  the  alleged 
injustice  account  of  “ excessive  ton”  does  not  apply. 

(4)  It  denies  that  the  adoption  of  a  system  whereby  coal  shall  be 
weighed  would  remove  an}r  incentive  to  cheating  and  dishonesty  or 
that  the  same  would  allay  alleged  jealousy  among  miners,  and  further 
said  company  has  no  knowledge  of  any  unjust  discrimination  or 
favoritism  and  demands  proof  of  this  allegation. 

It  is  inferred  that  this  is  intended  to  apply  to  the  practice  of  dock¬ 
ing  or  disciplining  mine  employees  for  loading  rock,  slate,  etc.,  in  the 
cars  contrary  to  their  contract  obligations.  The  weighing  of  coal 
would  in  no  way  prevent  actions  of  this  character.  A  careless  or 
dishonest  employee  would  in  no  way  be  reformed  by  such  a  change. 

(5)  It  denies  that  the  change  from  the  present  system  to  the  one 
requested  would  prove  a  strong  factor  in  allaying  alleged  suspicion 
and  discontent  among  mine  workers  and  asks  for  proof  of  this 

assertion.  .  .  n 

The  demand  calling  for  the  adoption  of  a  system  whereby  coal  shall 

be  weighed,  and  prescribing  the  minimum  rate  of  60  cents  per  ton  of 
2,240  pounds  with  a  continuation  of  the  difierentials  as  they  now  exist 
is  out  of  all  reason  and  its  effect  so  far  as  this  company  is  concerned 
is  a  demand  for  an  additional  increase  in  the  wages  now  paid  miners 
of  from  5  to  40  per  cent,  besides  the  increase  of  20  per  cent  set  forth 
in  petitioners’  demand  numbered  first. 

To  change  the  present  method  of  compensation  from  a  car  basis  to  a 
ton  basis,  wrould  cost  this  company  an  enormous  sum  to  alter  its  break- 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  107 


ers,  and  in  equipment,  maintenance,  and  operation  of  scales,  whereas 
if  adjusted  on  an  equitable  basis,  no  one  would  be  benefited  thereby 
and  none  of  the  contentions  would  be  obviated. 

The  method  adopted  by  this  company  of  paying  its  emplo}^ees  for 
the  coal  mined  by  car  is  fair  to  both  the  company  and  its  employees. 
The  car  prices  and  corresponding  differentials  in  the  different  mines 
and  veins  on  account  of  the  ever-varying  conditions  met  with  in  rela¬ 
tion  to  impurities  which  the  miner  has  to  contend  with,  such  as  yard¬ 
ages  and  allowances,  have  been  adjusted  from  time  to  time  to  meet  the 
changes  and  conditions.  To  change  this  method  so  as  not  to  work  an 
injustice  to  either  miner  or  employer,  it  would  be  necessary  to  use  the 
present  prices  paid  for  the  different  sizes  of  cars  as  bases  or  units.  If 
this  is  done  it  is  immaterial  whether  the  miner  is  paid  by  the  shovel 
full,  cubical  foot,  car,  2,000-pound  ton,  2,240  or  2,800  pound  ton,  so 
long  as  the  price  is  adjusted  in  accordance  with  the  basis  of  labor 
performed. 

The  present  rate  of  pay,  and  the  rate  on  which  contracts  have  been 
accepted,  in  the  majority  of  this  company’s  mines,  have  been  on  car 
basis.  This  basis  has  been  established  after  years  of  experience,  and 
it  can  be  shown  by  earnings  to  be  fair  to  all  concerned.  A  change  in 
the  basis  of  measurement  without  adjusting  the  prices  to  correspond 
would  be  eminently  unfair  to  all. 


IV. 

With  reference  to  incorporating  in  an  agreement  between  the  United 
Mine  Workers  of  America  and  this  company  the  wages  that  shall  be 
paid  and  the  conditions  of  employment  which  shall  obtain,  together 
with  satisfactory  methods  for  the  adjustment  of  grievances  which  may 
arise  from  time  to  time  it  says: 

It  objects  to  this  being  made  one  of  the  issues  which  shall  be  sub¬ 
mitted  to  your  honorable  Commission  for  determination  or  recommen¬ 
dation. 

By  the  express  terms  of  the  proposition  under  which  it  consented  to 
refer  to  the  decision  of  this  Commission  the  “questions  at  issue 
between”  itself  and  its  “own  employees  whether  they  belong  to  a 
union  or  not,”  it  reserved  and  exempted  from  the  submission  the  ques¬ 
tion  of  making  such  an  agreement  and  in  equally  express  terms  stated 
that  the  findings  of  the  Commission  should  govern  the  conditions  of 
employment  between  it  and  its  own  employees  for  the  term  named. 
And  furthermore  it  maintains  that  it  has  never  in  any  manner  given 
its  consent  to  joining  with  other  companies  or  individuals  in  making 
an  agreement  with  the  “United  Mine  Workers  of  America”  on  the 
questions  of  wages,  conditions  of  employment  or  other  matters,  and  it 
is  now  and  always  has  been  unwilling  to  have  the  question  of  the  pro¬ 
priety  or  necessity  of  making  such  an  agreement  submitted  for  inves¬ 
tigation  or  adjudication  by  your  honorable  Commission. 

This  company  unequivocally  asserts  that  it  will  under  no  condition 
recognize  or  enter  into  any  agreement  with  the  association  known  as 
the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  or  any  branch  thereof.  Nor 
will  it  permit  said  association  or  its  officers  to  dictate  the  terms  and 
conditions  under  which  it  shall  conduct  its  business.  It  charges  that 
said  association  has  been  declared  by  the  Federal  courts  to  be  unlaw¬ 
ful,  and  that  it  is  opposed  to  the  vital  principles  of  our  Government. 


108  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

It  is  seeking  to  obtain  an  enforced  enrollment  on  its  membership  list 
of  all  persons  employed  in  or  about  coal  mines  in  the  United  States. 
If  it  succeeds,  it  will  have  the  power  at  any  time,  to  paralyze  the  indus¬ 
tries  of  our  nation,  and  bring  untold  suffering  upon  our  people.  Its 
principles  oppress  the  industrious  and  ambitious  laborer  down  to  the 
standard  of  the  sluggard;  It  has  not  in  the  past,  and  there  is  no  rea¬ 
son  to  believe  that  it  will  in  the  future,  hesitate  to  sacrifice  life,  liberty 
and  property,  to  gain  its  vicious  and  temporary  end.  It  denies  the 
right  of  man  to  sell  his  labor  in  a  free  market. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

The  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Co. 
W.  H.  Truesdale,  President. 

Walter  W.  Ross, 

Of  Counsel. 


ANSWER  OF  PENNSYLVANIA  COAL  COMPANY 

before;  the  anthracite  coal  strike  commission. 

Answer  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  to  the  statement  of  demands 
of  that  portion  of  its  employees  who  are  represented  before  the  Com¬ 
mission  by  Mr.  John  Mitchell. 

First.  Answering  the  first  demand  for  an  increase  of  20  per  cent 
upon  the  prices  paid  during  the  year  1901  to  employees  performing 
contract  or  piece  work,  and  the  reasons  set  forth  in  said  statement  in 
support  of  such  demand: 

1.  It  denies  that  its  present  rate  of  wages  is  lower,  or  that  the  aver¬ 
age  earnings  of  its  employees  are  less  than  the  rate  of  wages  paid  to, 
and  the  average  annual  earnings  of,  employees  in  the  bituminous  coal 
fields  for  substantial^  similar  work.  There  is  a  great  dissimilarity 
between  anthracite  and  bituminous  mining,  and  the  conditions  and 
character  of  the  work  in  any  one  part  of  the  anthracite  field  differ  so 
materially  from  those  of  work  in  other  portions  of  the  anthracite  field 
and  in  the  bituminous  field  that  there  is,  and  can  be,  no  uniformity  in 
the  rate  of  wages  paid  for  contract  or  piece  work,  and  the  wages  paid 
in  one  field  can  not  be  taken  as  a  standard  in  fixing  a  wage  scale  in  any 
part  of  the  other. 

2.  It  denies  that  its  present  rate  of  wages  is  lower,  or  that  the  aver¬ 
age  annual  earnings  of  its  employees  are  less  than  the  rate  of  wages 
paid  to,  and  the  average  annual  earnings  of,  employees  in  other  occu¬ 
pations  requiring  equal  skill  and  training. 

3.  It  denies  that  the  rate  of  wages  paid  to  its  employees  is  insuffi¬ 
cient  to  compensate  the  mine  workers  in  view  of  the  character  of  the 
occupation  and  conditions,  or  that  the  conditions  of  labor  in  its  mines 
are  such  as  to  expose  its  employees  to  extraordinary  hazards  or  lia¬ 
bility  to  permanent  disease,  or  to  unusually  early  death,  as  compared 
with  many  other  employments  requiring  equal  skill  and  training,  and 
in  which  lower  rates  of  wages  prevail.  A  large  proportion  of  the 
accidents  in  the  mines  are  due  to  the  carelessness  of  the  men,  and  not 
to  the  character  of  the  employment,  as  is  shown  by  the  annual  reports 
of  the  mine  inspectors  of  the  several  anthracite  districts  made  to  the 
Pennsylvania  bureau  of  mines. 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  109 


4.  It  denies  that  the  annual  earnings  of  itsunine  workers  are  insuf¬ 
ficient  to  maintain  the  American  standard  of  living.  In  so  far  as  a 
satisfactory  American  standard  is  not  maintained,  the  failure  to  do  so 
is  due  to  a  voluntary  limitation  established  by  the  men  themselves. 
Large  numbers  of  its  emplo3Tees  are  not  American  citizens,  and  many 
have  no  knowledge  of  or  desire  to  conform  themselves  to  American 
standards  of  living.  The  wages  paid  by  this  company  are  sufficient  to 
enable  its  employees,  if  they  so  desire,  to  maintain  a  standard  of  living 
fully  equal  to  that  adopted  by  other  wage-workers  in  employments 
requiring  equal  skill  and  training. 

5.  It  denies  that  the  increased  cost  of  living  has  made  it  impossible 
for  its  employees  to  maintain  a  fair  standard  of  life  upon  the  basis  of 
present  wages,  or  that  the  mine  workers  have  been  prevented  thereb}^ 
from  securing  benefits  from  increased  prosperity.  While  this  com¬ 
pany  fixes  the  contract  rate  per  unit  of  weight,  the  daily  and  annual 
earnings  are  the  product  of  this  rate  multiplied  by  the  term  of  work 
performed  by  the  miner.  The  latter  factor  is  not  within  the  control 
of  this  company  but  is  restricted  by  the  refusal  of  the  miner  to  work 
more  than  six  hours  per  day  when  in  the  mines,  or  to  work  at  all  on 
many  of  the  days  when  opportunity  is  afforded.  Every  miner  can 
increase  his  annual  earnings  by  working  more  steadily.  In  spite  of 
this  self -limitation  of  earnings,  the  community  made  up  of  the  mine 
employees  of  this  company  were,  until  the  intervention  of  the  United 
Mine  Workers’  organization  and  the  inauguration  of  the  recent  strike, 
as  prosperous  as  industrial  communities  of  like  size  throughout  the 
United  States,  and  with  those  disturbing  causes  removed  will  become 
so  again.  This  is  evidenced  by  the  large  and  growing  individual 
deposits  in  the  savings  banks,  State  and  national  banks  in  such  com¬ 
munities,  the  investments  in  homes  and  building  associations,  the  self- 
supporting  churches  and  the  standards  of  living  maintained  in  those 
communities. 

6.  It  denies  that  the  wages  of  its  anthracite  wage-earners  are  so  low 
that  their  children  are  prematurely  forced  into  the  breakers  and  mills 
instead  of  being  supported  and  educated  upon  the  earnings  of  their 
parents.  The  employment  of  persons  under  the  age  of  21  is  regulated 
by  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania,  and  no  person  is  employed  by  this  com¬ 
pany  who  is  under  the  statutory  age.  The  State  of  Pennsylvania  has 
annually  expended  large  sums  of  money  for  the  education  of  children, 
and  for  the  furnishing  of  free  text-books,  and  has  enacted  laws  for 
compulsory  attendance  at  its  schools.  This  company  has  paid  large 
amounts  by  way  of  taxation  for  these  purposes.  Such  of  its  employ¬ 
ees  as  are  industrious,  thrifty  and  economical  always  have  been  able  to 
comfortably  maintain  and  educate  their  children.  Where  the  children 
of  its  employees  are  set  at  work  by  their  parents  at  an  age  when, 
although  beyond  the  compulsory  school  age  they  should  be  attending 
school,  it  is  usually  due  to  the  desire  of  the  parents,  and  not  to  the 
conditions  of  their  employment. 

7.  It  denies  that  the  wages  of  its  employees  are  below  the  fair  and 
just  earnings  of  mine  workers  in  this  industry. 

During  the  long  period  of  depression  prior  to  1900  it  did  not  reduce 
the  rate  of  wages  which  had  .been  adopted  many  years  before  when 
the  average  selling  price  of  coal  was  greater  than  at  the  present  time, 
but  continued  the  same  rates  in  order  that  its  employees  should  not  be 
distressed  by  the  depressed  conditions  then  prevailing.  In  October, 


110  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

1900,  it  advanced  the  wages  of  all  its  contract  employees  to  an  amount 
which  averaged  from  10  to  14  percent  upon  the  rates  previously  paid. 
These  increased  rates  have  been  continued  ever  since,  and  by  notices 
posted  at  its  collieries  March,  1902,  were  continued  until  April  1, 1903, 
and  thereafter  subject  to  sixty  da}Ts’  notice. 

It  believes  that  its  employees  were  satisfied  and  content  with  the 
rates  of  wages  so  paid,  and  that  the  strike  inaugurated  in  May  last 
was  contrary  to  the  wishes  and  desires  of  a  large  majority  of  its 
employees  who  would  have  preferred  to  continue  in  their  employment 
at  the  wages  which  they  were  then,  and  are  now,  receiving,  but  were 
forced  into  the  strike  by  the  votes  of  other  mine  workers  in  no  way 
connected  with  this  company. 

The  wages  paid  to  its  employees  are  reasonable,  just  and  adequate, 
and  are  much  higher  per  hour  of  actual  work  than  are  paid  in  other 
employments  requiring  similar  skill  and  training,  and  if  they  would 
avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  afforded  and  work  as  many  days 
as  is  customary  in  other  industries  instead  of  suspending  work  during 
a  considerable  portion  of  the  year,  their  annual  earnings  and  pros¬ 
perity  would  relatively  increase. 

It  is  because  the  wages  paid  by  it  are  reasonable  and  adequate 
and  higher  than  the  wages  paid  in  the  bituminous  coal  fields,  or  in 
other  occupations  requiring  equal  skill  and  training  for  substantially 
similar  work,  and  enable  its  employees  to  maintain  a  standard  of 
living  satisfactory  to  them,  that  an  excess  of  labor  has  for  many  years 
been  attracted  to  the  anthracite  coal  fields  and  to  the  mines  of  this 
company;  that  its  employees  have  grown  gray  in  its  service,  and  sel¬ 
dom,  if  ever,  have  voluntarily  left  it  to  seek  employment  in  the  bitu¬ 
minous  coal  fields,  or  in  other  occupations,  and  that  at  the  termination 
of  the  recent  strike  practically  all  of  its  emplo}rees,  who  during  the 
strike  had  found  employment  in  the  bituminous  coal  fields  and  else¬ 
where,  immediately  abandoned  the  same,  returned  to  the  anthracite 
coal  fields,  and  sought  their  former  employment,  preferring  to  work 
in  the  anthracite  mines. 

Second.  Answering  the  second  demand  for  a  reduction  of  20  per 
cent  in  the  hours  of  labor  without  reduction  of  earnings,  for  employees 
paid  by  the  hour,  day  or  week,  and  the  reasons  set  forth  in  said  state¬ 
ment  in  support  of  such  demand: 

1.  To  the  first  nine  reasons  assigned,  which  are  identical  with  the 
reasons  given  in  support  of  the  first  demand  in  said  statement,  it  makes 
the  same  answers  given  in  reply  to  the  first  demand  as  hereinbefore 
set  forth. 

2.  It  denies  that  under  the  conditions  prevailing  in  the  anthracite 
coal  industry  the  ten-hour  day  is  detrimental  to  the  health,  life,  safety 
or  well-being  of  its  mine  workers.  The  labor  of  those  employed  by 
the  hour,  day  or  week — which  does  not  include  cutting  of  coal  and 
other  contract  or  piece  work— for  the  most  part  is  not  severe  in  its 
character,  and  the  experience  of  man}7  years  has  demonstrated  that  a 
nominal  ten -hours’  day  is  not  detrimental  to  the  health,  life,  safety  or 
well-being  of  such  employees  so  engaged. 

3.  It  denies  that  shorter  hours  than  now  obtain  would  materially 
improve  the  physical,  mental  and  moral  condition  of  such  employees. 
They  are  idle  from  various  causes  so  many  days  in  the  month,  and 
there  are  so  many  da}Ts  when  they  do  not  work  the  full  ten  hours,  that 
their  work  on  the  days  when  they  do  work  ten  hours  can  not  be  detri- 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  Ill 


mental  to  their  health,  life,  safety  or  well-being.  Their  work  on  the 
work  days  throughout  the  year  does  not  average  more  than  eight 
hours  per  day. 

4.  It  denies  that  under  the  conditions  in  the  anthracite  coal  industry 
any  reduction  under  ten  hours  would  increase  the  intensity  and  effi¬ 
ciency  of  labor.  This  is  a  matter  which  depends  upon  the  personal 
qualities  and  characteristics  of  the  worker,  and  this  company  believes 
that  the  cases  in  which  greater  intensity  and  efficiency  have  been 
secured  by  a  reduction  of  hours  were  usually  those  in  which  work  has 
been  done  by  piecework  instead  of  by  the  hour  or  day,  or  where  some 
other  similar  stimulant  to  energy  and  efficiency  has  been  provided  by 
penalty  or  bonus. 

5.  The  length  of  time  worked  per  day  is  not  uniform  and  can  not  be 
made  so  owing  to  the  varying  conditions  of  the  industry.  The  true 
measurement  of  the  pay  of  employees  is  by  the  hour,  even  when  they 
are  nominally  employed  by  the  day,  and  it  would  be  unjust  and  unfair 
to  this  company  in  the  present  state  of  the  anthracite  coal  business  to 
increase  its  expenses  20  per  cent,  or  any  other  per  cent,  b}r  reduction 
to  that  extent  of  the  hours  of  labor  of  its  employees,  without  a  corre¬ 
sponding  reduction  of  the  present  rate  of  wages,  which  is  based  upon  a 
ten-hour  day. 

Third.  Answering  the  third  demand  for  the  adoption  of  a  system 
by  which  coal  shall  be  weighed  and  paid  for  by  weight  wherever  prac¬ 
ticable,  and  the  reasons  set  forth  in  said  statement  in  support  of  such 
demand:  It  alleges  that  while  it  is  not  practicable  to  do  so  in  all  parts 
of  the  anthracite  field,  it  already  has  a  system  by  which  the  coal  is 
weighed,  and  its  miners  are  now  fully  compensated  for  every  ton  of 
2,240  pounds  of  merchantable  coal  produced.  For  much  of  this  coal 
it  receives  less  on  board  cars  at  the  breaker  than  it  pays  the  miner,  in 
addition  to  which  it  pays  for  day  labor,  dead  work,  material,  general 
expenses  and  interest  on  its  investment.  There  never  has  been  any 
disagreement  between  this  company  and  its  employees  over  its  system 
of  weighing  coal. 

Measurement  directly  by  the  legal  ton  is  not  practicable  at  the  mines 
of  this  compan}T  on  account  of  the  nature  of  the  product,  its  prepara¬ 
tion  for  market  and  the  mixture  of  rock,  slate  and  bone.  It  denies 
that  the  miners’  ton  in  excess  of  2,240  pounds  was  originally  intended 
to  compensate  the  operator  for  the  small  sizes  of  coal  then  discarded. 
It  was  intended  to  cover  the  waste  material  of  any  and  every  character 
whether  rock,  slate  or  bone.  These  waste  products  still  exist  and  are 
unmarketable.  There  is  the  same  necessity  to-day  that  there  always 
has  been  for  the  use  of  the  miners’  ton  as  a  basis  of  compensation. 

Under  the  system  in  vogue  at  the  collieries  of  this  company  there  is 
no  incentive  to  defraud  the  miner.  He  is  paid  for  the  quantity  mined 
in  accordance  with  his  contract,  and  the  weight  is  checked  at  his  option 
by  a  weighmaster  selected  by  him. 

Fourth.  Answering  the  fourth  demand,  for  the  incorporation  in  an 
agreement  between  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  and  the 
anthracite  coal  companies,  of  the  wages  which  shall  be  paid  and  the 
conditions  of  employment  which  shall  obtain,  and  the  reasons  set  forth 
in  said  statement  in  support  of  such  demand: 

It  submits  that  this  demand  is  not  within  the  scope  of  the  questions 
referred  to  this  Commission  for  decision.  The  question  at  issue 
between  the  several  companies  and  their  employees,  referred  to  the 


112  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


Commission  for  decision,  relate  to  wages  and  mining  conditions  and 
methods,  and  not  to  what  the  companies’  relations  to  the  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America  should  or  might  he.  That  is  not  a  question  at 
issue  between  this  company  and  its  employees.  While  it  is  alleged  in 
the  statement  that  this  demand  is  one  of  those^  “formulated  by  the 
Shamokin  convention  and  for  the  enforcement  of  which  the  strike  was 
inaugurated,”  yet  Mr.  Mitchell  has  repeatedly  declared  that  it  was  not 
one  of  the  demands  of  the  employees  represented  by  him  or  one  of  the 
demands  for  the  enforcement  of  which  the  strike  was  inaugurated. 
It  was  not  included  in  the  specific  statement  of  the  demands  of  the 
employees  given  in  writing  by  Mr.  Mitchell  to  the  Commissionei  of 
Labor  in  June,  last,  and  its  consideration  was  distinctly  and  unequiv  - 
ocally  excluded  by  the  terms  of  the  communication  to  the  public  by 
the  chairman  of  this  compan}^  and  other  coal  operators  on  October  13, 
1902,  which  was  the  basis  of  the  appointment  of  this  Commission  and 
defined  the  subjects  submitted  for  its  decision.  In  that  communication 
it  was  stated  that  a  large  number  of  their  employees  are  not  members 
of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  and  that  the  companies  had 
declined  to  deal  with  that  association;  that  the  issues  involved  before 
this  Commission,  so  far  as  this  company  is  concerned,  are  limited  to 
those  between  it  and  its  employees  without  reference  to  their  member¬ 
ship,  or  nonmembership  in  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  or 
any  other  labor  organization;  that  they  were  not  willing  to  enter  into 
any  arrangement  which  would  not  secure  to  all  their  employees,  union 
or  nonunion,  the  right  and  opportunity  to  work  in  safety,  fiee  fiom 
interference,  and  without  personal  insult  or  bodily  harm  to  them  or 
their  families.  Partly  to  insure  the  protection  of  every  employee  m 
his  right  to  work,  it  was  expressly  provided  that  “  the  findings  of  this 
Commission  *  *  A  shall  govern  the  conditions  of  employment 

between  the  respective  companies  and  their  own  employees,”  and  it  is 
respectfully  submitted  that  there  is  neither  authority  nor  occasion  for 
requiring  an  agreement  with  the  United  Mine  "Workers  incoipoiating 
such  findings  of  the  Commission. 

2.  Further  answering  said  fourth  demand  and  the  reasons  set  forth, 
in  the  said  statement  in  its  support,  it  denies  that  the  United  Mine 
Workers  association  as  now  organized  and  conducted  tends  to  better 
discipline  of  the  men  in  the  anthracite  field  or  to  improvement  in  their 
physical,  moral  and  mental  condition,  or  to  the  preservation  of  friendly 
relations  between  employer  and  employee,  this  company  has  never 
opposed  trade  unionism  or  organized  labor,  nor  has  it  discriminated 
against  its  employees  on  account  of  membership  or  nonmembership 
therein;  but  it  has  insisted  upon  its  right  to  employ  any  competent 
person  whether  union  or  nonunion,  and  upon  the  right  of  every  such 
employee  to  work  free  from  interference.  The  United  Mine  W  orkers 
have  denied  that  right,  have  declared  it  compulsory  on  the  part  of  all 
employees  in  the  anthracite  industry  to  become  members  of  theii  asso¬ 
ciation,  have  refused  to  work  with  non-union  men  and  have  undertaken 
to  prevent  them  from  working,  and  to  enforce  such  demands  by  order¬ 
ing  strikes  of  the  employees  of  the  companies  employing  nonunion 
men. 

3.  The  United  Mine  Workers  is  primarily  an  organization  of  bitu¬ 
minous  coal  workers.  Until  its  advent  in  the  anthracite  field  in  1899, 
peace  and  contentment  had  reigned  for  a  quarter  of  a  centuiy  in  the 
mines  of  this  company.  Unrest,  agitation,  turmoil  and  financial  loss 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  113 

have  followed  its  appearance.  In  1900,  with  a  membership  of  less 
than  6,000,  or  abut  5  per  cent  of  the  anthracite  mine  workers,  it 
brought  about  a  long  and  disastrous  strike.  A  large  advance  in  wages 
was  granted  upon  the  understanding  that  the  controversy  was  satis¬ 
factorily  ended,  but  notwithstanding,  the  agitation  was  continued,  and 
efforts  were  made  to  restrict  the  individual  exertions  of  employees  and 
limit  the  amount  of  their  work.  A  depreciation  in  the  quantity  and 
deterioration  in  the  quality  of  work  followed,  amounting  to  about  12 
per  cent  of  the  average  output  per  man  per  day.  During  the  past  two 
years  the  members  of  the  association  brought  about  more  strikes  and 
interruptions  of  work  than  had  occurred  during  the  previous  twenty- 
five  years.  In  six  months  there  were  more  than  100  interruptions  of 
work  occasioned  by  unwarranted  demands  and  agitation,  resulting  in 
great  loss  of  wages,  and  in  a  loss  of  over  600,000  tons  of  production. 
When  the  recent  strike  was  declared  a  reign  of  terror  was  inaugu¬ 
rated,  which  the  United  Mine  Workers  either  could  not  or  would  not 
prevent,  and  which  steadily  grew  worse  throughout  the  anthracite 
field  until  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania  was  obliged  to  issue  a  procla¬ 
mation  that  tumults,  riots  and  disorder  prevailed  and  mob  law  reigned, 
and  to  call  out  the  entire  National  Guard  of  Pennsylvania  to  protect 
the  men  who  desired  to  work  and  their  families  and  to  preserve  the 
public  peace. 

4.  The  United  Mine  Workers’  association  embraces  within  its  field, 
of  operation  both  the  anthracite  and  bituminous  coal  fields,  and  an 
overwhelming  majority  of  its  members  are  employed  in  the  mining 
of  bituminous  coal  which  is  in  active,  keen  and  increasing  competition 
with  anthracite  coal.  Twenty  years  ago  40  per  cent  of  the  total  coal 
output  of  the  United  States  was  anthracite.  Since  then  it  has  been 
gradually  reduced  to  24  per  cent  owing  to  the  competition  of  the 
bituminous  product,  which  now  threatens  the  anthracite  market  more 
than  ever  before.  Since  1880  the  bituminous  production  has  increased 
more  than  425  per  cent  while  the  production  of  anthracite  has  in¬ 
creased  only  about  185  per  cent.  Forty  per  cent  of  anthracite  coal 
is  sold  at  about  the  cost  of  mining  because  it  must  be  sold  in  competi¬ 
tion  with  bituminous  coal  or  not  at  all.  Every  advance  in  the  cost  of 
production  of  anthracite  coal  tends  to  benefit  its  competitors  in  the 
bituminous  field.  A  large  portion  of  the  employees  in  the  anthracite 
field  are  not  members  of  the  United  Mine  Workers.  The  relations 
and  community  of  interest  that  usually  exist  between  employer  and 
employees  do  not  exist  between  the  anthracite  producers  and  United 
Mine  Workers,  but  the  interests  of  the  latter  are  closely  related  to  the 
interests  of  the  bituminous  producers. 

The  fourth  demand  is  in  effect  that  an  association  controlled  by  the 
employees  of  a  rival  and  competitive  industry  be  allowed  to  regulate 
the  wages  and  conditions  of  employment  in  the  anthracite  field  affect¬ 
ing  large  numbers  of  employees  not  members  of  that  association. 

5.  The  United  Mine  Workers’  association  is  unincorporated  and 
therefore  legally  irresponsible  and  there  is  no  legal  method  of  enforcing 
any  contract  its  officers  might  make.  It  is  not  a  trade  union  composed 
of  workers  in  a  given  trade,  but  is  an  organization  composed  of  employ¬ 
ees  in  different  competing  industries,  anthracite  and  bituminous  mining, 
and  in  the  anthracite  fields  alone  comprising  employees  engaged  in 
upwards  of  thirty  different  trades  and  occupation,  such  as  miners,  car¬ 
penters,  engineers,  slate-pickers,  blacksmiths,  drivers,  firemen,  masons 

8.  Doc.  6 - 8 


114  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

and  stablemen,  whose  interests  are  not  in  common  except  that  they 
are  all  employed  in  the  coal  field.  About  20  per  cent  of  the  150,000 
employees  are  boys  and  youths  14  to  21  years  of  age  and  they  are  of 
over  twenty  different  nationalities,  speaking  over  a  dozen  different 
languages  and  dialects.  The  employees  in  the  anthracite  field  nearly 
equal  in  number  the  wage-earners  in  a  city  of  half  a  million  inhabitants, 
and  the  demand  that  the  wages  and  conditions  of  employment  of  all 
these  anthracite  employees  be  governed  by  agreement  entered  into 
with  the  officers  of  this  association  is  about  as  unreasonable  as  would 
be  a  demand  that  all  similar  dealings  with  the  wage-earners  of  a  great 
city  should  be  conducted  only  through  the  medium  of  a  set  of  officers 
controlled  and  chosen  chiefly  by  the  inhabitants  of  a  rival  city. 

Pennsylvania  Coal  Company, 

By  E.  B.  Thomas,  ^ 

Chairman  of  the  Board . 

ANSWER  OF  HILLSIDE  COAL  AND  IRON  COMPANY. 

The  answer  of  the  Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Company  is  practically 
the  same  as  that  of  the  Pennsylvania  Company,  and  therefore  is  not 
printed. 

ANSWER  OF  SCRANTON  COAL  COMPANY  AND  ELK  HILL 

COAL  AND  IRON  COMPANY. 

BEFORE  THE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

To  the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike  Commission: 

The  Scranton  Coal  Company  and  the  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron  Com¬ 
pany,  in  reply  to  the  demands  set  forth  in  the  statement  submitted  to 
the  Commission  by  Mr.  John  Mitchell,  claiming  to  be  “Representa¬ 
tive  of  the  anthracite  mine  workers,”  respectfully  state: 

That  the  companies  named  own  and  operate  ten  collieries  and  three 
washeries  for  the  mining  and  preparation  of  anthracite  coal,  all  situ¬ 
ated  in  the  county  of  Lackawanna,  and  when  in  full  operation  employ 
about  5,000  men  and  boys,  many  of  whom  Mr.  Mitchell  has  no 
authority  to  represent  before  the  Commission. 

Further  replying  in  detail  to  the  demands  contained  in  said  state¬ 
ment, 

We  deny  that  employees  of  the  companies  performing  contract  or 
piecework  are  entitled  to  an  advance  of  20  per  cent  or  any  other 
amount  over  the  prices  paid  for  their  work  in  1901. 

We  aver  that  from  the  best  information  obtainable,  the  present  rate 
of  wages  paid  to  employees  performing  contract  or  piecework  in  the 
anthracite  field  is  not  lower  than  the  average  rate  of  wages  paid  in  the 
bituminous  coal  fields  for  substantially  similar  work,  nor  lower  than 
wages  paid  in  other  occupations  requiring  equal  skill  and  training; 
that  the  average  annual  earnings  are  not  less  than  the  average  annual 
earnings  in  the  bituminous  fields  for  substantially  similar  work,  nor 
less  than  the  average  annual  earnings  of  workers  in  occupations  requir¬ 
ing  equal  skill  and  training.  But,  we  aver,  that  if  it  should  appear  that 
the  average  annual  earnings  of  the  anthracite  employees  performing 
contract  or  piecework  are  less  than  the  annual  average  earnings  of 
workers  in  the  bituminous  field,  or  in  any  occupation  requiring  equal 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  115 

skill  and  training,  the  fact  is  due  to  the  conduct  of  the  contract  or  piece¬ 
workers  themselves,  because  they  (except  on  days  when  work  may  be 
interrupted  by  accidents  in  the  mines,  breakage  of  machinery,  short¬ 
age  of  cars  for  shipment  of  coal,  or  other  causes  beyond  the  control  of 
the  companies),  themselves  regulate  their  hours  of  labor;  and  that 
whereas,  by  remaining  at  work  for  a  reasonable  number  of  hours  they 
could  largely  increase  their  earnings,  they  leave  their  work  in  from 
three  to  five  hours,  notwithstanding  that  their  employers  desire  them 
to  remain  for  a  longer  period  and  thus  not  only  increase  their  own 
earnings,  as  before  stated,  but  those  of  all  the  employees  in  and  about 
the  colliery,  because  the  number  of  hours’  work  in  the  breakers  and  of 
all  men  and  boys  paid  by  the  day  or  hour,  and  the  earnings  of  the 
miners’  laborers  are  entirely  dependent  upon  and  controlled  by  the 
amount  of  coal  sent  up  from  the  mine  by  the  contract  or  piecework¬ 
ers;  and  we  assert  that  the  miners,  who  are  the  contract  and  piece¬ 
workers,  deliberately  fix  their  own  hours  of  labor  and  the  amount  of 
their  earnings  without  any  regard  for  the  interests  or  wishes  of  their 
employers,  and  in  total  disregard  of  the  earnings  and  welfare  of  ever}r 
other  class  of  employees. 

We  further  aver  that  the  existing  rate  of  wages  paid  the  mine 
workers  is  sufficient  compensation  in  view  of  the  character  of  their 
occupation;  that  the  proportion  of  accidents  to  the  numbers  employed 
is  not  greater  than  in  many  occupations  requiring  like  skill  and  train¬ 
ing;  that  there  is  no  greater  liability  to  serious  and  permanent  dis¬ 
ease,  nor  a  higher  death  rate  nor  a  shorter  trade  life  incident  to  the 
occupation  of  mine  workers,  than  is  found  in  many  other  employments, 
and  we  assert  that  the  fact  is  that  there  is  no  class  of  workers  healthier, 
stronger  and  longer  lived  than  the  mine  workers  in  the *  anthracite 
field. 

While  we  are  unable  to  say  what  is  4 4  the  American  standard  of  liv¬ 
ing,”  we  assert  that  an  inspection  of  the  places  and  manner  of  living 
of  the  anthracite  workers  and  the  appearance  of  the  men  and  boys 
employed,  and  of  the  families  of  the  workers,  with  their  schools  and 
facilities  for  education  provided  for  the  children,  demonstrate  that,  as 
a  class,  the  mine  workers  and  their  families  are  as  well  housed,  clothed, 
fed  and  educated  as  any  other  similar  class  in  the  country,  due  regard 
being  had  to  their  ordinary  habits  of  life  and  ways  and  ideas  of  living; 
and  that  those  who  are  sober,  industrious  and  thrifty,  willing  to  attend 
to  their  duties  when  work  is  open  to  them,  can  accumulate  means  as 
readily  as  men  engaged  in  any  other  industry. 

In  October,  1900,  a  general  advance  of  10  per  cent  was  made  in  the 
wages  of  all  employees  in  the  anthracite  region,  and  this  advance  alone 
has  much  more  than  covered  any  increased  cost  of  living  that  may 
have  latterly  been  met,  but  in  addition  to  that  advance,  work  has 
been  much  more  steady  and  abundant  for  those  who  would  avail  them¬ 
selves  of  the  opportunity  to  work;  yet  the  miners  have  not,  and  appar¬ 
ently  will  not,  reap  the  benefit  of  that  opportunity,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  since  the  advance  of  10  per  cent  in  1900  the  contract  and 
pieceworkers  have  produced  less  coal  per  man  than  theretofore,  appai- 
ently  contenting  themselves  with  about  the  same  amount  of  income 
they  had  before  the  advance  was  made. 

The  laws  of  Pennsylvania  prescribe  that  no  minor  under  the  age  of 
14  shall  be  emploved  inside  of  any  mine,  and  none  under  12  years 
of  age  outside  the  mine;  and  that  before  employment  the  fact  that  the 


116  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

minor  is  above  that  age  must  be  attested  by  the  parents  or  guardian 
or  by  other  satisfactory  proof.  The  children  of  the  anthracite  mine 
workers  enjoy  as  good  educational  advantages  as  children  of  any  other 
class  in  any  other  community,  and  if  they  are  forced  to  work  before 
attaining  the  age  mentioned,  they  do  so  in  defiance  of  the  law  and 
through  fraud  on  the  part  of  the  parents  or  others  entitled  to  act  for 
them. 

Wages  on  the  present  scale  are  not  below  the  fair  and  just  earnings 
of  mine  workers  in  the  anthracite  industry,  but,  on  the  contrary,  are 
a  fair  and  just  return  for  the  amount  and  character  of  the  work 
performed. 

A  reduction  of  20  per  cent  in  the  hours  of  labor,  without  any  reduc¬ 
tion  in  the  earnings  for  all  employees,  paid  by  the  hour,  day  or  week, 
would  result  in  an  increase  of  cost  of  such  labor  to  the  employer  of 
25  per  cent,  which,  if  granted,  must  inevitably  fall  upon  the  public  in 
an  increased  price  of  coal.  All  such  labor  is  now  paid  its  full  value, 
and  nothing  in  the  conditions  justifies  any  such  increase,  for  the  same 
reasons  that  apply  to  the  other  employees,  as  above  stated. 

We  deny  that  the  ten-hour  day  is  detrimental  to  the  health,  life  or 
safety  and  well-being  of  the  mine  workers,  or  that  shorter  hours  improve 
the  physical,  mental  or  moral  condition  of  the  workers,  or  that  shorter 
hours  increase  the  intensity  and  efficiency  of  labor,  or  that  a  working 
day  of  eight  hours  is  sufficiently  long  for  the  best  interests  of  the 
workingman  and  of  the  community. 

We  aver  that,  outside  of  engineers,  firemen,  pump  runners,  and 
some  classes  of  foremen,  the  employees  rarely  work  ten  hours  out  of 
twenty-four. 

As  has  been  before  stated,  the  miners  do  not  work  an  average  of  four 
to  five  hours  when  they  go  in  the  mine,  but  the  time  of  the  run  of  the 
breaker,  and  of  all  the  work  other  than  that  of  miners,  is  governed  by 
the  amount  of  coal  cut  by  the  miners.  The  system  long  ago  estab¬ 
lished,  and  now  prevailing,  of  taking  the  number  of  hours  worked  b}^ 
all  employees  (except  those  working  on  monthly  salaries,  and  the 
miners  and  their  laborers,  paid  by  contract  or  piecework)  during  a 
month,  dividing  the  aggregate  number  of  hours  by  ten,  and  thus 
arriving  at  what  is  called  the  number  of  days  worked  per  month,  is 
misleading,  because  it  indicates  a  fewer  number  of  days  and  a  longer 
period  of  labor  during  each  day  than  the  men  and  boys  have  actually 
been  at  work,  and  inspection  of  the  pay  rolls  will  prove  this  at  a 
glance. 

We  aver  that,  it  is  impossible  to  adopt  any  system  by  which  the 
exact  amount  of  coal  contained  in  a  mine  car,  as  it  comes  from  the 
mine,  can  be  determined. 

When  the  mine  is  feeding  the  breaker  with  cars,  the  hoist  averages 
generally  from  one  to  two  cars  a  minute.  There  is  no  time  and  no 
place  to  take  out,  sort  and  weigh  the  contents  of  a  car.  While  it  is 
true  that  in  former  years  the  very  small  sizes  that  are  now  merchant¬ 
able  were  thrown  on  the  dump,  it  is  the  fact  that  during  that  time 
much  more  lump  coal  was  produced  and  sold  than  at  present,  from 
which  there  was  little  breakage  or  waste;  whereas  now  that  the  demand 
for  lump  coal  has  very  greatly  decreased  and  the  coal  has  to  be  broken 
down  to  the  sizes  demanded  by  the  market  and  consumers,  there  is  a 
considerable  loss  to  the  operator  in  the  unavoidable  making  of  small 
sizes  in  the  process  of  breaking  down  and  cleaning.  The  small  sizes 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES,  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  117 


referred  to,  moreover,  command  but  a  comparatively  small  price  in 
the  market,  are  sold  entirely  for  steam  purposes  in  competition  with 
bituminous  coal,  and  net  the  companies  but  a  trifling  sum,  so  that  if 
such  small  sizes  should  be  included  as  demanded,  it  would  be  neces¬ 
sary,  in  justice  to  the  employers,  to  reduce  the  price  paid  the  miner 
per  car  or  ton. 

The  difference  between  the  “  miner’s  ton,11  as  it  is  known  at  the 
mines,  and  the  market  ton  of  2,240  pounds,  is  intended  to  offset  the 
impurities  that  are  found  in  the  mine  car,  and  the  loss  by  breakage  in 
preparation,  and  this  difference  varies  in  amount  at  different  mines, 
according  to  the  condition  existing  in  each. 

•  As  under  the  contract  or  piecework  system,  the  miner  employs  and 
controls  his  own  laborer,  who  loads  the  cars  in  the  mine,  the  miner 
usually  only  drilling  holes,  firing  blasts  and  taking  care  of  his  cham¬ 
ber,  the  remedy  for  any  complaint  in  this  regard  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
miner,  who,  if  he  will  stay  in  the  mine  a  reasonable  time  and  superin¬ 
tend  the  loading  of  the  cars  and  see  that  rock,  slate  and  other  waste  is 
not  thrown  in,  would  himself  remove  any  cause  there  may  be  for 
complaint  from  either  the  employers  or  the  miner. 

In  reply  to  the  fourth  demand  presented,  we  assert  that  this  Com¬ 
mission  has  no  right  or  power  to  consider  any  proposition  looking  to 
an  agreement  with  or  recognition  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of 
America,  for  the  reason  that  the  letter  of  the  companies  submitted  to 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  which  is  the  only  basis  and  warrant 
for  the  proceedings  of  this  Commission,  expressly  states  that  the  com¬ 
panies  submit  only  such  questions  of  difference  as  exist  between  them 
and  their  own  employees  as  individuals. 

We  assert  emphatically  that  we  have  never  compelled  or  attempted 
to  compel,  any  of  our  employees  to  make  or  sign  individual  agree¬ 
ments,  nor  interfered  with  or  questioned  the  right  of  the  men  to  form 
or  join  any  organization  they  miry  think  it  for  their  interest  to  affiliate 
with,  and  assert  that  we  have  never  failed  to  consider,  and  adjust  as 
far  as  possible  any  complaints  made  to  us  by  our  own  employees, 
individually  or  by  committees  of  their  own  number,  chosen  by  them, 
irrespective  of  whether  or  not  they  belonged  to  associations  or  unions. 

W e  deny  that  agreements  between  employers  and  employees  through 
workingmen’s  organizations  are  beneficial  and  successful  in  the  bitu¬ 
minous  coal  fields  or  elsewhere,  and  assert  that  any  such  agreement  as 
a  method  of  regulating  production  would  be  and  is  injurious  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  public. 

We  deny  that  unions  of  workingmen  tend  to  better  the  discipline  ot 
the  men  and  to  the  improvement  of  their  physical,  mental  or  moral  con¬ 
ditions,  and  to  the  preservation  of  friendly  relations  between  employer 
and  employee,  but  assert,  on  the  contrary,  that  since  the  advent  of  the 
association  called  uThe  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  in  the 
anthracite  fields,  the  workers  there  have  become  demoralized;  that 
those  who  have  joined  the  association  have  tyrannized  over  those  who 
would  not  join  and  committed  innumerable  acts  of  violence  and  oppres¬ 
sion  since  they  forced  the  strike  in  May  last,  in  order  to  detei  from 
working  those  who  wished  to  do  so;  that  they  attempted  the  destiuc- 
tion  of  the  properties  of  the  companies  by  calling  out  the  engineers, 
firemen,  pump  runners,  and  others,  whose  only  work  was  to  protect 
the  properties  from  flood  and  fire,  and  preserve  them  not  only  for  the 
owners  but  for  the  men  when  they  should  resume  work;  under  the  rule 


118  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

of  the  union  unnumbered  petty  strikes  have  occurred  since  1900  and 
the  discipline  at  the  mines  where  a  large  number  of  the  employees  are 
boys,  always  inclined  to  be  unruly,  but  admitted  to  a  vote  and  voice 
in  the  union,  has  been  so  impaired  as  to  make  a  marked  decrease  in 
the  efficiency  of  the  working  forces  and  the  productive  capacity  of  the 
mines. 

Finally  we  assert  that  the  great  majority  of  the  “United  Mine 
Workers  of  America,”  are  men  employed  in  the  bituminous  coalfields; 
that  the  action  of  the  union  is  controlled  by  a  majority  vote  in  their 
conventions;  that  the  bituminous  men  largely  outnumber  and  dominate 
the  anthracite  men;  that  few,  if  any,  of  the  officers  of  the  union  have 
had  any  experience  in  the  anthracite  field,  most  of  them  who  have 
worked  at  all  having  acquired  their  knowledge  of  coal  mining  in  the 
bituminous  regions;  that  the  system  of  mining  and  preparation  of  coal 
is  entirely  different  in  the  two  regions;  that  bituminous  coal  is  sub¬ 
stantially  the  only  competitor  of  anthracite  coal  in  the  markets  of  the 
country,  and  that  it  is  directly  antagonistic  not  only  to  the  interests  of  the 
owners  of  anthracite  properties,  but  of  every  man  and  boy  employed 
on  those  properties,  that  they  should  be  led,  advised  and  controlled  by 
an  influence  (guided,  perhaps,  by  the  employer  to  some  extent),  that 
has  not  and  can  not  have  their  interests  solely  at  heart. 

T.  P.  Fowler, 

President,  Scranton  Coal  Company , 
and  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 

ANSWER  OF  LEHIGH  VALLEY  COAL  COMPANY. 

To  the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike  Commission : 

Answer  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company  to  the  demands  presented 

by  John  Mitchell  as  a  representative  of  anthracite  mine  workers. 

First.  It  denies  that  the  demand  for  an  increase  to  its  employees 
engaged  in  contract  or  piece  work  of  20  per  cent  in  the  prices  paid 
during  the  year  1901  is  warranted  by  the  conditions  surrounding  or 
pertaining  to  such  employees  and  it  avers  that  the  prices  prevailing 
during  the  year  named  for  such  work  are  adequate  and  just,  whether 
tested  by  the  wages  paid  in  other  trades  or  employments  or  by  the 
conditions  under  which  such  work  is  performed.  A  comparison 
merely  between  the  rate  per  ton  paid  to  miners  respectively  in  the 
anthracite  and  bituminous  fields  is  wholly  misleading  if  it  is  intended 
to  demonstrate  thereby  that  the  anthracite  miner  is  underpaid,  for  the 
conditions  surrounding  the  two  are  so  dissimilar  and  the  amount  of 
labor  required  to  produce  the  same  results  as  to  product  varies  so 
materially  that  to  disregard  these  in  making  a  comparison  would  lead 
to  entirely  false  conclusions.  Taking  into  consideration  all  such  quali¬ 
fying  conditions,  this  respondent  denies  that  the  bituminous  miner  is 
better  paid  than  the  anthracite.  Were  it  otherwise,  considering  the 
proximity  of  the  two  fields,  the  bituminous  mines  would  have  been 
filled  during  the  past  years  at  the  expense  of  the  anthracite,  a  condi¬ 
tion  which  has  not  existed  and  does  not  exist. 

Further,  this  respondent  denies  that  the  wages  are  inadequate,  hav¬ 
ing  regard  either  to  the  risks  incident  to  the  character  of  the  work, 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  119 


the  cost  of  living  or  the  support  and  maintenance  in  a  decent  and 

proper  way  of  a  miner  and  his  family.  .  . 

That  there  are  boys  engaged  in  various  occupations  in  and  about  t tie 
anthracite  mines  is  not  due  to  the  insufficiency^  the  wages  earned  by 
their  parents.  Such  work  as  is  performed  by  these  boys  is  not  labo¬ 
rious  and  is  of  a  less  exacting  character  than  that  m  which  boys  ot  simi¬ 
lar  ages  engage  in  other  occupations,  and  in  the  employment  ot  such 
boys,  care  is  taken  that  none  are  employed  under  the  age  which  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania  by  legislative  enactment  has  designated  as  a  ht 
one  for  the  commencement  of  manual  labor. 

This  respondent  calls  attention  to  the  fact  as  pertinent  to  the  ques¬ 
tion  whether  the  annual  earnings  of  the  contract  miners  are  sufficient 
and  adequate,  that  no  complaint  whatever  has  been  made  as  to  t  e 
insufficiency  of  earnings  of  any  other  class  of  labor  employed  in  anc 
about  the  mines  and  this  despite  the  fact  that  under  the  rate  ot  wages 
now  prevailing,  the  contract  miners  can  earn  more  per  day  than  any 
other  class  of  labor  in  and  about  the  mines  and  are  exposed  to  no 
greater  hardships  or  risks  than  their  fellow  employees,  i  he  absence 
of  such  complaint  is  persuasive  evidence  of  the  fact  that  the  wages 
received  by  such  other  employees  are  fair  and  adequate  and  that  con¬ 
sequently  the  demand  of  the  contract  miners  who  can  and  do  earn 
more  than  such  other  employees  is  not  justified  and  consequently  should 


not  be  granted.  .  A- 

As  bearing  upon  this  question  of  alleged  insufficient  earnings,  this 

respondent  m  conclusion  submits  that  if  the  annual  earnings  ot  the 
contract  miners  are  deemed  by  them  to  be  inadequate  or  insufficient, 
thev  could,  were  the  miners  themselves  so  disposed,  be  readily  increased 
to  the  extent  of  20  per  cent  by  the  simple  expedientot  working  steadily 

for  even  eight  hours  a  day.  . 

For  the  year  1901,  the  average  hours  work  by  these  contract  miners 

on  the  days  when  they  did  work,  did  not  amount  to  seven  hours  per 
day,  and  on  many  days  they  were  idle  of  their  own  volition. 

An  adequate  remedy  is  therefore  in  their  own  hands,  but  it  is  not 
made  use  of  because  the  desire  for  increased  earnings  has  not  been 
strong  enough  to  induce  the  steadier  work  necessary  for  the  purpose. 

Second.  Replying  to  the  demand  for  a  reduction  of  20  per  cent 
in  hours  of  labor  without  any  reduction  of  earnings  tor  all  employees 
paid  bv  the  hour,  day  or  week,  this  respondent  also  says  that  tins 
demand  is  unwarranted  and  should  not  be  approved  by  this  Commis¬ 
sion  nor  made  the  basis  of  action  by  it.  . 

The  reasons  adduced  in  support  of  such  demand  are  insufficient  to 
support  the  same  considered  merely  with  reference  to  the  advantage 
of  an  eight-hour  labor  day  as  affecting  all  character  ot  work,  l  ie 
conditions  affecting  anthracite  mining  and  the  methods  necessary  to  be 
pursued  in  the  operation  of  the  mines  make  the  proposed  limitation 

inexpedient  and  unjust.  ,  ,  ,  ,,  •,  ,  •  ^ 

Under  the  system  prevailing  and  having  regard  to  the  production 

of  the  maximum  output  of  the  mine  which  is  of  importance  to  both  the 
operator  and  to  the  public,  the  coal  mined  or  cut  by  the  contract 
miners  should  be  promptly  loaded  and  shipped  from  the  mine,  and  it 
the  hours  during  which  the  other  employees  at  the  mines  could  be 
called  upon  to  work  were  to  be  restricted  to  eight,  frequentlj  this 
could  not  be  accomplished  promptly  and  the  operation  ot  the  mine 
would  thus  be  retarded. 


120  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

Iii  point  of  fact,  however,  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  employees 
who  would  be  affected  by  a  reduction  of  the  hours  of  labor,  actually 
work  under  the  present  system  less  than  eight  hours  a  day  upon  an 
average.  The  contract  miners  work  irregularly  and  for  short  hours 
and  this  necessarily  results  in  the  other  employees  even  while  on  duty 
being  idle  while  waiting  for  coal  to  handle.  Then  again,  due  to  the 
complicated  nature  of  the  operations  as  a  whole  at  any  one  mine,  there 
are  more  or  less  inevitable  stoppages  or  interruptions  of  work  which 
have  the  effect  also  of  shortening  the  hours  of  labor  actually  performed 
by  the  employees.  Due  to  these  and  to  other  causes,  in  which  latter 
may  be  included  days  of  suspension  of  work  by  the  miners  themselves 
because  of  holidays  or  strikes,  the  average  number  of  hours  worked 
during  last  year  by  the  employees  of  this  company  was  substantially 
less  than  eight  hours  per  day  for  each  working  day  of  the  year. 

Third.  Replying  to  the  demand  that  there  shall  be  adopted  a  system 
by  which  coal  shall  be  weighed  and  paid  for  by  weight  wherever  prac¬ 
ticable,  this  respondent  says  that  the  granting  of  such  demand  would 
be  inexpedient  as  it  would  accomplish  no  real  good  and  would  result 
in  conditions  which  would  work  to  the  disadvantage  of  both  the 
operator  and  the  miner. 

In  the  first  place,  there  are  many  operations  where  the  only  practi¬ 
cable  way  is  to  pay  as  is  now  done — by  the  yard,  and  this  because  the 
coal  mined  by  the  contract  miner  is  not  immediately  loaded  but  accu¬ 
mulates  for  weeks  and  even  months  before  being  loaded,  and  as  no 
system  of  weighing  is  possible  until  the  coal  is  loaded  on  the  mine  car, 
the  payment  of  the  miner  would  be  postponed  for  such  a  long  period 
as  to  make  it  impossible  to  secure  labor  for  the  mining  of  coal  that 
must  be  mined  in  this  way. 

The  method  of  paying  the  miner  by  weight  of  coal  mined  has  been 
followed  only  in  the  case  of  a  few  mines,  and  as  a  matter  of  fact  has 
not  been  successful  in  eliminating  contention,  and  this  largely  because 
of  the  fact  that  deductions  from  the  weight  of  the  coal  actually  loaded 
in  the  mine  car  had  to  be  made  on  account  of  the  impurities  and  refuse 
that  would,  even  in  the  case  of  honest  and  careful  loading,  be  sent  out 
with  the  coal.  Under  such  a  system  there  is  a  constant  temptation  to 
the  men  engaged  in  loading  the  car  to  defraud  the  company  by  loading 
with  the  coal,  rock,  slate  and  other  impurities,  and  the  honest  miner 
is  made  to  suffer  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  as  it  is  impossible  to 
examine  each  separate  car  with  the  view  of  ascertaining  the  percent¬ 
age  of  refuse  loaded  therein,  an  average  deduction  has  to  be  made 
based  upon  the  average  per  car  of  such  refuse,  with  consequent  injustice 
to  the  honest  miner  and  overpayment  to  the  dishonest  one. 

It  would  be  wholly  impracticable  to  pay  by  weight  without  a  proper 
allowance  for  such  impurities  and  refuse,  as  such  a  system  would 
undoubtedly  lead  to  a  reckless  and  dishonest  loading  of  the  mine  cars 
and  would  indeed  be  almost  a  direct  incentive  to  such  practices.  > 

There  is  another  and  serious  objection  to  the  payment  by  weight, 
based  upon  the  consideration  of  the  time  that  would  necessarily  be 
consumed  in  weighing  and  the  consequent  holding  back  of  the  mine 
shipments  that  would  result  therefrom.  None  of  the  mines  of  this 
respondent  are  so  arranged  or  equipped  as  to  make  practicable  without 
very  considerable  outlay,  any  system  for  weighing  the  coal,  and  even 
if  its  mines  were  so  rearranged  as  to  allow  the  coal  to  be  weighed, 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  121 


serious  delay  in  its  movement  to  the  breaker  would  result  with  conse¬ 
quent  decreased  daily  output  of  each  mine. 

This  company’s  practice  has  been  and  is  to  pay,  in  cases  where  coal 
when  mined  is  immediately  loaded,  by  the  mine  car,  and  where  coal  is 
not  immediately  loaded  but  is  held  back  on  account  of  conditions  pre¬ 
vailing’  in  the  mines,  by  the  cubic  yard,  and  so  far  as  known  its  prac¬ 
tice  in  this  respect  has  been  satisfactory  to  its  emplo3mes,  and  it  submits 
that  this  system  best  answers  requirements  and  conditions  that  have  to 
be  taken  into  account  in  the  different  lields  of  the  anthracite  region. 

The  demand  embraced  in  the  third  demand,  already  alluded  to,  that 
the  minimum  rate  per  ton  to  be  paid  to  the  miner  shall  be  60  cents  for 
a  legal  ton  of  2,240  pounds,  is  so  extravagant  that  its  effect  could  not 
have  been  intelligently  considered  or  understood  by  those  making  it. 
In  many  cases  it  would  increase  the  price  payable  to  the  contract  miner 
more  than  40  per  cent.,  and  this  particular  demand  is  so  inconsistent 
with  the  first  demand  made  that  this  respondent  assumes  that  it  is  not 
intended  to  seriously  urge  or  press  it. 

Fourth.  Referring  to  the  fourth  demand  which  asks  for  the  incor¬ 
poration  in  an  agreement  between  the  United  Mine  Workers  of 
America  and  the  anthracite  coal  companies  of  all  matters  pertaining 
to  wages,  conditions  of  employment  or  any  other  subject  affecting 
these  companies’  employees  in  and  about  the  mines,  this  respondent 
submits  that  in  making  this  demand  the  petitioner  has  asked  this  Com¬ 
mission  to  exceed  and  transcend  the  powers  vested  in  it. 

This  respondent  has  declined  to  deal  with  the  United  Mine  Workers 
of  America  in  the  manner  sought  to  be  enforced  by  this  demand, 
because  it  regards  such  action  as  prejudicial  not  only  to  it  but  to  its 
employees.  It  recognizes  the  right  of  its  emplojmes  to  exercise  such 
lawful  means  as  may  be  at  their  disposal  to  enforce  demands  which 
they  deem  just,  and  this  may  justify  the  existence  of  an  employees’ 
organization,  but  this  by  no  means  justifies  the  claim  that  the  employer 
should  be  required  to  deal  with  such  organization  in  the  manner  pro¬ 
posed  rather  than  with  his  own  employees  directly,  or  that  he  should 
enter  into  contracts  or  agreements  with  such  organization  for  the 
barter  and  sale  of  the  labor  of  its  members.  No  effective  discipline 
can  possibly  be  maintained  and  consequently  no  "good  resuIts~acEiuved 
in  any  undertaking  in  which  the  employee  regards  himself  as  subject 
not  to  the  commands  or  requirements  of  his  employer,  but  only  to 
such  commands  or  requirements  as  may  be  approved  by  some  organ¬ 
ization  of  which  he  is  a  member.  Such  methods  tend  neither  to  good 
organization  nor  to  effective  work. 

The  method  proposed  is  further  objectionable  in  that  it  gives  almost 
coercive  power  to  the  organization  to  compel  all  employees  engaged 
in  a  common  employment  with  members  of  the  union  to  ally  them¬ 
selves  with  it,  and  results,  therefore,  in  depriving  individuals  of  the 
right  to  sell  their  own  labor  upon  such  terms  as  they  can  secure  and 
compels  them  to  abide  b}^  and  accept  the  terms  which  ma}^  be  secured 
for  them  by  an  organization  over  which  as  individuals  they  can  exer¬ 
cise  but  very  little  control. 

These  objections  apply  strongly  to  any  agreement  of  the  character 
demanded  with  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  and  in  addition 
there  are  special  reasons  against  such  a  course  that  apply  peculiarly 
to  that  organization.  It  would  be  unprofitable  to  enumerate  all  these, 
but  one,  and  this  a  most  potent  one,  is  that  the  organization  named  is 


122  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


under  the  control  of  bituminous  miners  and  it  would  be  quite  as  reason¬ 
able  to  allow  the  bituminous  operators  to  determine  the  cost  at  which 
anthracite  coal  shall  be  produced  as  to  permit  the  wages,  hours,  and 
conditions  of  labor  of  the  anthracite  miners  to  be  fixed  by  an  organiza¬ 
tion  controlled  by  bituminous  miners. 

Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company, 
By  Francis  1.  Gowen. 

ANSWER  OF  LEHIGH  AND  WILKE  SB  ARRE  COAL  COMPANY. 

The  reply  of  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company  to  the  demands 
of  those  anthracite  mine  workers  represented  by  John  Mitchell. 


To  the  Anthracite  Goal  Strike  Commission: 

The  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company,  replying  to  the  demands 
of  John  Mitchell,  representing  certain  anthracite  mine  workers,  says: 

First.  That  it  owns  12  collieries  situate  in  the  counties  of  Luzerne, 
Schuylkill  and  Carbon,  and  that  it  did  operate,  previous  to  the  strike 
inaugurated  by  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  11  collieries 
and  1  washery,  and  that  at  that  time  it  employed  6,500  men  in  and 
about  the  mines. 

Second.  The  demand  for  an  increase  of  20  per  cent  upon  the  price 
paid  during  the  year  1901  to  employees  performing  contract  or  piece 
work,  is  unreasonable  and  unjust.  An  increase  of  10  per  cent  was 
made  in  the  year  1900.  To  grant  this  demand  and  further  increase 
these  prices  by  the  amount  named  would  add  20  per  cent  to  prices 
already  recently  increased  by  10  per  cent. 

There  is  no  such  similarity  in  the  mining  of  anthracite  and  bitu¬ 
minous  coalas  to  make  wages  paid  in  the  bituminous  coal  field  a  stand¬ 
ard  for  wages  paid  in  the  anthracite  coal  field.  The  mining  of  anthra¬ 
cite  coal  is  not  substantially  similar  work  to  the  mining  of  bituminous 
coal.  The  present  rate  of  wages  in  the  anthracite  coal  mines  operated 
by  this  company,  making  proper  allowance  for  the  difference  in  con- 


•equmng  equal  skih  ana  training, 
the  mines  of  this  company  of  men  working  the  full  time  which  they 
have  the  opportunity  of  working  are  not  less  than  the  average  annual 
earnings  of  men  working  for  the  like  time  in  the  bituminous  coal 
fields,  nor  are  they  less  than  the  average  annual  earnings  of  men  work¬ 
ing  like  time  in  occupations  requiring  equal  skill  and  training. .  Nor 
is  the  rate  of  wages  in  the  anthracite  coal  mines  of  this  company  insuf¬ 
ficient  to  compensate  mine  workers,  in  view  of  the  character  and  risk 
of  their  work.  As  respects  the  sufficiency  of  the  earnings  of  workers 
in  the  mines  of  this  company,  to  maintain  what  is  called  in  the  demand 
presented  by  John  Mitchell  “ the  American  standard  of  living”  and 
“a  fair  standard  of  living,”  this  company  asks  that  this  standard  be 
defined,  so  the  issues  on  this  point  may  be  more  definite,  but  it  insists 
that  it  is  easy  for  industrious  mine  workers  working  in  its  mines, 
whenever  work  is  offered,  to  maintain,  with  present  wages,  a  standard 
of  living  superior  to  that  enjoyed  by  workmen  in  occupations  requir¬ 
ing  equal  skill  and  training.  This  company  expressly  denies  that  the 
wages  of  any  workers  in  its  mines  are  so  low  as  to  prematurely  force 
their  children  into  the  breakers  and  the  mills  instead  of  being  educated 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  123 


upon  the  earnings  of  their  parents.  On  the  contrary  it  alleges  that 
boys  are  never  employed  in  its  breakers  except  with  the  knowledge  of 
their  parents  and  upon  representation  that  such  boys  are  above  the 
lawful  age  at  which  they  are  permitted  under  the  laws  of  Pennsjdvania 
to  work.  That  the  wages  of  industrious  employees  in  the  mines  of 
this  company  are  sufficient  to  enable  them  to  maintain  a  comfortable 
standard  of  living,  and  to  prevent  their  being  forced  to  send  their 
children  prematurely  into  the  breakers  and  mills,  is  evidenced  by  the 
investments  that  they  have  been  able  to  make  of  savings  in  homes,  in 
building  associations,  in  savings  bank  deposits,  and  otherwise,  so  that 
the  towns  and  cities  adjacent  to  the  mines  of  this  company,  though 
containing  a  large  foreign  population  who  have  not  yet  adopted  the 
mode  of  life  common  to  American  workmen,  are  superior  to  mining 
towns  in  other  mining  districts  of  the  United  States. 

Third.  As  respects  the  second  demand  that  a  reduction  of  20  per 
cent  be  made  in  the  hours  of  labor,  without  any  reduction  of  earn¬ 
ings,  for  all  employees  paid  by  the  hour,  the  day  or  the  week,  this  is 
in  substance  a  demand  for  an  increase  of  20  per  cent  in  the  cost  of 
labor.  It  is  unreasonable  and  unjust  that  any  such  increase  should  be 
made,  and  all  considerations  affecting  the  demand  for  a  direct  increase 
of  20  per  cent  upon  contract  or  piecework  apply  with  equal  force  to 
this  demand. 

The  certified  miners,  under  present  conditions,  seldom  work  eight 
hours  a  day.  The  greater  cost  in  the  production  and  preparation  of 
anthracite  coal  for  market  is  not  the  cutting  of  the  coal.  Many  employ¬ 
ees  are  paid  by  the  month,  the  pumping  continues  day  and  night,  the 
machinery  is  expensive,  and  the  cost  of  coal  is  largely  conditioned  on 
the  collieries  running  full  time.  The  output  is  entirely  dependent  on 
the  quantity  of  coal  a  certified  miner  is  willing  tocut  daily,  and  because 
of  this  it  is  seldom  practical  to  work  the  full  breaker  time. 

Any  increase  in  wages  will  necessarily  increase  the  price  of  coal  to 
the  public,  restrict  its  use,  and  seriously  affect  the  ability  of  the  indus¬ 
tries  using  it  as  fuel  to  compete  with  the  industries  using  bituminous 
coal;  it  will  bear  heavily  oh  the  workmen  and  necessarily  oppress  the 
general  public,  and  injure  the  general  business  of  the  country.  Because 
of  the  injury  to  the  mines  by  the  strike  of  the  United  Mine  Workers 
of  America  the  cost  of  producing  coal  has  been  greatly  increased  and 
a  temporary  advance  in  price  was  made,  but  it  would  be  objectionable 
to  continue  such  increase  when  mining  operations  become  normal. 

Fourth.  As  respects  both  demands  for  this  20  per  cent  increase, 
whether  by  direct  increase  in  wages,  or  a  reduction  in  the  hours  of 
work,  the  amount  which  can  be  paid  for  labor  in  the  mines  of  this 
company  depends  not  upon  any  arbitrary  amount  which  is  claimed  to 
provide  a  wage  sufficient  to  maintain  in  any  particular  standard  of 
living,  but  upon  the  price  at  which  anthracite  can  be  sold.  Anthracite 
coal  is  sold  in  increasingly  close  competition  with  other  kinds  of  fuel, 
notably  with  bituminous  coal,  gas  and  oil,  and  any  amount  which  can 
.and  will  be  paid  for  labor  in  the  mining  and  preparation  for  market 
of  anthracite  coal  depends  upon  the  prices  which  the  public  are  willing 
to  pay  for  it  in  competition  with  other  kinds  of  fuel. 

Fifth.  As  respects  the  adoption  of  a  system  by  which  coal  shall  be 
weighed,  and  paid  for  by  weight,  this  company  states  that  it  has  had 
no  disagreements  with  any  of  its  employees  about  the  weighing  of 
coal.  The  payments  are  determined  by  the  car,  not  by  the  ton,  which 


124  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


cars  are  uniform  in  size  for  the  mine  where  used;  and  the  rate  per  car 
is  fixed  for  the  different  veins  in  the  several  mines  or  collieries.  It 
denies  that  there  is  anything  unreasonable  or  unfair  in  the  method  it 
has  practiced  in  arriving  at  the  payment  for  the  mining  of  coal  from 
its  mines,  but  avers  that  such  method  is  just  and  equitable. 

Sixth.  As  respects  the  demand  that  the  wages  and  conditions  of 
employment  shall  be  incorporated  in  an  agreement  between  the  United 
Mine  Workers  of  America  and  the  anthracite  coal  companies,  this 
company  insists  that  this  is  not  a  subject  which  the  Anthracite  Coal 
Strike  Commission  should  consider,  and  on  the  contrary  alleges  that 
this  subject  was  excluded  from  consideration  by  the  terms  of  the  sub¬ 
mission  under  which  the  Commission  was  appointed. 

The  statement  in  which  this  company  joined,  under  which  this  Com¬ 
mission  was  appointed,  contained  the  following  proviso: 

“The  managers  of  the  coal  companies  are  not  willing  to  enter  into 
arbitration  with  the  Mine  Workers’  Union,  an  organization  chiefly 
composed  of  men  in  rival  and  competitive  interests,  and  they  are  not 
willing  to  make  any  arrangements  which  will  not  secure  to  the  men 
now  working  and  all  now  or  hereafter  wishing  to  work,  whether  they 
belong  to  the  Mine  Workers’  Union  or  not,  the  right  and  opportunity 
to  work  in  safety  and  without  personal  insult  or  bodily  harm  to  them¬ 
selves  or  their  families.” 

The  question  whether  this  company  should,  against  its  will,  become 
a  party  to  any  agreement  between  other  anthracite  coal  companies  and 
the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  respecting  wages  to  be  paid 
and  the  conditions  of  employment,  is  not  before  this  Commission. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Andrew  H.  McClintock, 

De  Forest  Brothers, 

Counsel  for  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company. 

November  7,  1902. 


ANSWER  OF  PHILADELPHIA  AND  READING  COAL  AND 

IRON  COMPANY. 

To  the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike  Commission: 

Answer  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 

The  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  replying  to 
the  demands  of  John  Mitchell,  representing  certain  anthracite  mine 
workers,  says: 

First.  That  it  owns  37  collieries  situate  in  the  counties  of  Schuyl¬ 
kill,  Northumberland,  and  Columbia,  and  that  it  did  operate  previous 
to  the  strike  inaugurated  by  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  33 
collieries  and  4  washeries,  and  that  at  that  time  it  had  26,829  employees 
in  and  about  the  mines. 

Second.  The  first  demand  for  “20  per  cent  increase  upon  the 
price  paid  during  the  year  1901  to  employees  performing  contract  or 
piece  work”  is  arbitrary,  unreasonable,  and  unjust. 

This  company  denies  that  there  is  any  such  similarity  between  the 
mining  of  bituminous  and  of  anthracite  coal  as  to  make  wages  paid  in 
one  a  standard  for  the  other.  It  avers  that  the  bituminous  coal  fields 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  125 

extend  over  many  States  of  the  Union;  that  they  differ  widely  in  the 
physical  and  local  trade  conditions  which  largely  control  wages;  that 
the  work  of  mining  anthracite  coal  is  not  substantially  similar  work 
to  the  mining  of  bituminous  coal;  and  making  all  necessary  allowances 
for  differences  in  conditions,  it  denies  that  the  rate  of  wages  in  the 
mines  operated  by  this  company  is  lower  than  that  paid  in  the  bitu¬ 
minous  coal  fields,  whose  coal  output  competes  actively  with  the  prod¬ 
ucts  of  this  company’s  mines. 

Third.  This  company  denies  that  the  present  rate  of  wages  is  lower 
than  is  paid  in  other  occupations  in  the  same  locality  and  controlled  by 
like  conditions. 

This  company  is  not  informed  as  to  the  average  annual  earnings  in  the 
bituminous  coal  fields,  but  it  avers  that  nearly  all  of  its  former  employees 
who,  during  the  past  five  months  worked  in  the  bituminous  mines, 
have  returned  to  the  anthracite  regions,  preferring  to  work  in  the 
anthracite  mines.  And  it  further  avers  that  the  annual  earnings  of 
the  anthracite  mine  workers  is  largely  reduced  by  their  refusal  to 
work  as  many  days  as  it  is  customary  to  work  in  other  occupations, 
and  that  by  reason  thereof  this  company  is  subjected  to  great  loss,  and 
the  cost  of  producing  coal  is  largely  increased  and  the  annual  earnings 
of  its  employees  diminished. 

Fourth.  This  company  denies  that  the  average  annual  earnings  of 
the  men  working  full  time  in  the  anthracite  coal  field  is  less  than  the 
average  annual  earnings  for  occupations  requiring  equal  skill  and 
training. 

Fifth.  This  company  denies  that  a  the  rate  of  wages  in  the  anthra¬ 
cite  coal  fields  is  insufficient  to  compensate  the  mine  workers  in  view 
of  the  dangerous  character  of  the  occupation  in  relation  to  accidents, 
liability  to  serious  and  permanent  disease,  the  high  death  rate  and 
the  short  trade  life  incident  to  this  employment.'1 

Sixth.  This  company  avers  that  whilst  the  sixth  specification  is  too 
general  and  vague  for  specific  answer  thereto,  that  it  is  true  that  the 
anthracite  coal  regions  (almost  entirely  dependent  on  the  anthracite 
mining  industry)  are  among  the  most  prosperous  in  the  United  States; 
that  employees  of  temperate  and  economic  habits  have  saved  money, 
and  invested  their  savings  in  houses,  building  associations,  and  other 
property,  and  that  deposits  in  savings,  State  and  national  banks, 
aggregating  millions  of  dollars,  have  been  made  by  such  employees; 
that  the  standard  of  living  is  equal  to  that  of  the  average  American 
workmen;  that  the  towns  and  cities  are  better  than  any  mining  towns 
in  the  bituminous  coal  fields  of  the  United  States. 

This  company  denies  that  the  alleged  increased  cost  of  living  has 
made  it  impossible  to  maintain  a  fair  standard  of  life  upon  the  basis  of 
present  wages  or  from  securing  any  benefit  from  increased  prosperity, 
and  that  the  condition  of  the  workmen  is  poorer  on  account  of  it. 

This  company  further  denies  that  u  the  children  of  the  anthracite 
mine  workers  are  prematurely  forced  into  the  breakers  and  mills  instead 
of  being  supported  and  educated  upon  the  earnings  of  their  parents 
because  of  low  wages  of  such  parents,  or  that  such  wages  are  below 
the  fair  and  just  earnings  of  mine  workers  in  this  industry.”  It  avers 
that  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  makes  large  annual  appropriations  to 
schools,  and  that  the  school  districts  levy  local  taxes  for  school  pur¬ 
poses;  that  text-books  are  supplied  from  public  funds,  and  that  the 
laws  provide  for  compulsory  attendance  at  public  schools.  In  the 


126  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


county  of  Schuylkill  this  company  paid  for  school  taxes  in  the  year 

1901,  $80,000.  *  ,  ^  ^  _  ,  ,  - 

The  local  school  hoards  are  elected  by  the  qualified  voters  of  the 
townships,  boroughs,  and  cities.  The  means  of  education  provided  by 
the  State,  through  its  system  of  free  schools  and  compulsory  attend¬ 
ance,  are  not  fully  utilized,  because  of  the  failure  of  the  local  school 
boards  to  enforce  compulsory  attendance,  but  the  wages  paid,  are  ample 
to  insure  a  good  common  school  education  for  all  children  in  the  coal 
regions  desiring  to  attend  school. 

No  boys  are  employed  in  and  about  the  mines  and  breakers  in  viola¬ 
tion  of  the  statutes  fixing  the  ages  of  employment.  . 

In  addition  to  provisions  for  education,  ample  hospitals  for  the  care 
of  the  sick  and  injured  are  maintained  in  the  anthracite  coal  regions. 

This  company  avers  that  there  is  not  anywhere  else  in  the  world  a 
mining  region  where  the  workmen  have  so  many  comforts,  facilities 
for  education,  general  advantages,  and  such  profitable  employment. 

Seventh.  This  company  denies  that  the  second  demand  for  a 
reduction  of  20  per  cent,  in  hours  of  labor  without  any  reduction  of 
earnings  for  all  emplo}rees  by  the  hour,  day,  or  week  is  eithei  just  oi 
equitable,  and  avers  that  the  reasons  assigned  in  support  of  the  demand 
are  impracticable,  in  so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  mining  of  anthracite 
coal.  The  certified  miners,  under  present  conditions,  seldom  work 
eight  hours  a  day.  The  greater  cost  in  the  production  and  prepara¬ 
tion  of  anthracite  coal  for  market  is  not  the  cutting  of  the  coal.  Many 
employees  are  paid  by  the  month,  the  pumping  continues  day  and 
night,  the  machinery  is  expensive,  and  the  cost  of  coal  is  largely  con¬ 
ditioned  on  the  collieries  running  full  time.  The  output  is  entirely 
dependent  on  the  quantity  of  coal  a  certified  miner  is  willing  to_cut 
daily,  and  because  of  this  it  is  seldom  practicable  to  work  the  full 

breaker  time.  . 

In  general,  we  deny  that,  in  so  far  as  they  relate  to  anthracite  min- 

ino-  “That  the  ten-hour  day  is  detrimental  to  the  health,  life,  safety, 
and  well  being  of  the  mine  workers;”  that  “ shorter  hours  improve 
the  physical,  mental,  and  moral  conditions  of  the  workers;”  that 
44 shorter  hours  increase  the  intensity  and  efficiency  of  labor.” 

It  admits  that  the  tendency  of  National  and  State  governments  and 
of  labor  organizations  is  toward  shorter  hours,  but  denies  that  a  work¬ 
ing  day  of  less  than  ten  hours  will  be  of  real  advantage  to  the  workmen 
engaged  in  and  about  the  anthracite  mines  and  collieries.  In  some 
exceptionally  exhausting  work,  a  day  of  ten  hours  is  too  long,  but 
there  is  no  exhausting  labor,  which  justifies  a  reduction  of  hours  of 
work  in  the  anthracite  coal  operations. 

Any  increase  in  wages  will  necessarily  increase  the  price  of  coal  to 
the  public,  restrict  its  use,  and  seriously  aftect  the  ability  of  the  indus¬ 
tries  using  it  as  fuel  to  compete  with  the  industries  using  bituminous 
coal;  it  will  bear  heavily  on  the  workmen  and  necessarily  oppress  the 
general  public,  and  injure  the  general  business  of  the  countiy. 
Because  of  the  injury  to  the  mines  by  the  strike  of  the  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America,  the  cost  of  producing  coal  has  been  greatly 
increased  and  a  temporaiy  advance  in  price  was  made  by  this  com¬ 
pany,  but  it  will  be  impracticable  to  continue  such  increase  when 

mining  operations  become  normal. 

Eighth.  This  company,  replying  to  the  third  demand,  says:  that 
it  has  had  no  disagreements  with  any  of  its  employees  about  the  weigh- 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  127 


ing  of  coal.  The  quantity  is  usually  determined  by  measurement; 
that  when  coal  is  mined  by  the  ton  it  is  customary  and  necessary  to 
make  allowances  for  slate  and  impurities.  But  this  company  does  not 
mine  by  the  ton.  It  denies  that  there  is  anything  unreasonable  or 
unfair  in  the  method  it  has  practiced  in  arriving  at  the  measurement 
of  the  coal  from  its  mines. 

Ninth.  This  company,  replying  to  the  fourth  demand,  says:  That 
the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  are  primarily  a  bituminous  coal 
organization;  that  bituminous  coal  is  a  rival  competitor  in  the  market 
with  anthracite  coal;  that  ever  since  the  advent  of  the  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America  in  the  anthracite  fields  the  business  conditions  in 
the  anthracite  mines  have  become  intolerable;  the  output  of  the  mines 
has  decreased,  discipline  has  been  destroyed,  strikes  have  been  of 
almost  daily  occurrence;  men  worked  when  and  as  they  pleased,  and 
the  cost  of  mining  has  been  greatly  increased. 

At  the  Shamokin  convention  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  Amer¬ 
ica,  referred  to  in  the  statement,  it  was  resolved:  “That  the  United 
Mine  Workers  at  any  colliery,  when  the  employees  refused  to  become 
members  of  the  organization  and  wear  the  button,  the  local  governing 
such  colliery,  after  using  all  persuasive  measures  to  get  such  employ¬ 
ees  to  join,  and  failing  in  such  shall  have  full  power  to  suspend  oper¬ 
ation  at  such  collieries  until  such  employees  become  members  of  the 
organization.” 

Subsequently,  to  wit,  on  May  12,  the  United  Mine  Workers  of 
America  inaugurated  a  strike,  and  by  threats  and  intimidation  caused 
a  suspension  of  work  at  all  mines.  Under  date  of  May  21  they  issued 
a  formal  official  order  requiring  all  pumpmen,  firemen,  and  engineers 
to  desert  their  posts  of  duty,  with  intent  to  force  submission  to  their 
unjust  demands  by  the  destruction  of  the  mines.  By  threats  and  vio¬ 
lence  they  tried  to  prevent  other  men  from  taking  the  places  of  the 
firemen,  pumpmen,  and  engineers.  The  said  United  Mine  Workers 
of  America  well  knew  that  if  this  company  did  not  succeed  in  keeping 
the  pumps  going  the  mines  would  be  so  greatly  injured  that  it  would 
be  impossible  to  mine  coal  for  many  jnonths  after  the  strike  ended, 
and  that  by  reason  thereof  the  workmen  of  the  anthracite  fields  would 
be  deprived  of  employment  and  the  public  be  made  to  suffer  untold 
hardships  because  of  inability  to  procure  fuel  during  the  winter 
months. 

In  obedience  to  the  strike  and  pump  orders,  and  the  power  expressly 
given  by  its  Shamokin  convention — “to  suspend  operations  at  such 
collieries  until  such  employees  become  members  of  the  organization” — 
all  manner  of  force  and  violence  was  used  to  prevent  pumping  of  the 
mines  to  save  them  from  destruction,  and  to  prevent  nonunion  men 
from  working.  The  situation  is  well  described  in  the  proclamation  of 
the  governor  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  to  which  we  beg  to  refer  as 
part  of  this  answer. 

This  company  avers  that  these  acts  of  intimidation,  of  injury  to  per¬ 
sons  and  property,  and  disturbance  of  the  public  peace,  were  contrary 
to  the  law  of  the  land. 

This  company,  further  answering,  avers  that  the  jurisdiction  of  this 
Commission  is  limited  to  the  conditions  named  in  the  statement  of  the 
coal  company  presidents,  by  virtue  of  which  the  Commission  was 
appointed,  and  that  by  express  terms,  as  well  as  by  necessary  implica¬ 
tion,  the  investigation  is  confined  to  matters  affecting  its  employees, 


128  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

and  excludes  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  from  any  part  or 
recognition  in  the  proceedings,  recommendations,  or  decisions  of  this 
Commission. 

Further  answering,  it  says  that  if  and  when  a  labor  organization, 
limited  to  workers  in  anthracite  mines,  is  created  which  shall  obey  the 
laws  of  the  land,  respect  the  right  of  every  man  to  work  whether  he 
belongs  to  a  union  or  not,  and  shall  honestly  cooperate  with  the 
employers  in  securing  good  work,  efficiency,  fair  production,  and 
necessary  discipline,  trade  agreements  may  become  practicable. 

And,  further  answering,  the  company  says  that  it  does  not  and  will 
not  discriminate  against  workmen  belonging  to  the  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America,  or  any  other  labor  organization,  so  long  as  they 
perform  satisfactory  work,  and  behave  as  law-abiding  people  should, 
but  that  the  company  will  at  ail  times  employ  any  person  it  sees  fit, 
and  will  not  permit  any  labor  organization  to  limit  the  right  of  employ 
ment  to  the  members  of  its  organization. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

The  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal 
and  Iron  Company, 

By  Geo.  F.  Baer,  President. 

John  F.  Whalen, 

S.  P.  Wolverton, 

Counsel. 

ANSWER  OF  LEHIGH  COAL  AND  NAVIGATION  COMPANY. 

To  the  Members  of  the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike  Commission ,  appointed 

by  the  President  of  the  United  States: 

The  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company  respectfully  submits  the 
following  answer  to  the  demands  of  the  miners: 

First.  The  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company  is  the  oldest 
corporation  engaged  in  the  mining  of  coal  in  the  anthracite  region. 
It  was  chartered  in  1822,  and  was  the  successor  of  the  Lehigh  Coal 
Mine  Company,  which  was  organized  in  1793.  It  also  acquired  cer¬ 
tain  rights  on  the  Lehigh  River  which  were  granted  in  1818.  It  gradu¬ 
ally  improved  the  slack-water  navigation  of  the  river,  and  finally 
completed  the  Lehigh  Canal,  from  White  Haven  to  Easton,  where  it 
connected  with  the  State  canal  (which  it  now  controls),  running  to 
Bristol  on  the  Delaware,  20  miles  above  Philadelphia.  It  also  built 
and  owns  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  Railroad  system,  running  from 
Phillipsburg  to  Scranton,  which  is  leased  for  a  share  of  the  gross 
receipts  to  the  Central  Railroad  Company  of  New  Jersey.  It  owns 
and  controls  about  14,000  acres  of  coal  lands  in  Carbon  and  Schuyl¬ 
kill  counties,  which  are  estimated  to  contain  over  500,000,000  tons  of 
available  unmined  coal.  Its  employees  number  about  6,000  and  its 
capacity  of  production  is  over  200,000  tons  a  month.  Its  capital 
stock  and  funded  debt  amount  to  upward  of  $32,000,000.  All  of  its 
capital  stock  and  bonds  were  issued  for  full  value,  but  although  its 
more  important  coal  lands  wTere  purchased  at  a  time  when  the  country 
was  a  wilderness,  and  all  its  lands  have  been  acquired  at  moderate 
prices,  the  dividends  upon  its  capital  stock  to  date  only  average  4.02 
per  cent.  The  profit  on  coal  mined  by  the  company  during  the  ten 
years  ending  December  31,  1901,  has  averaged  11.09  cents  per  ton, 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  129 


after  charging  off  taxes  on  coal  lands  and  depreciation,  but  not  includ¬ 
ing  any  charge  for  royalty  which  represents  the  value  of  the  coal  in 
the  ground.  Nor  were  the  rates  of  freight  upon  the  railroad  exorbi¬ 
tant,  as  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  company  operated  its  own  canal, 
but  found  it  advantageous  to  send  the  coal  to  market  over  the  railroad, 
rather  than  by  the  canal.  The  building  of  the  first  blast  furnace  at 
Catasauqua,  of  the  Crane  Iron  Company,  was  promoted  by  the  Lehigh 
Coal  and  Navigation  Company  in  1841,  and  the  first  development  of 
the  iron  industry,  and  the  subsequent  development  of  the  cement  and 
other  industries  which  have  replaced  the  manufacture  of  pig  iron 
since  the  exhaustion  of  the  cheap  ores  of  eastern  Pennsylvania  and 
New  Jersey,  were  only  rendered  possible  by  the  supplies  of  cheap 
fuel,  and  the  moderate  freights  which  have  been  given  by  the  canal 
and  railroads. 

Second.  The  demand  for  an  increase  of  20  per  cent  upon  the  prices 
paid  during  the  year  1901  to  the  employees  performing  contract  or 
piece  work  is  utterly  unjustifiable,  and  the  reasons  given  in  support  of 
such  demand  are  not  founded  in  fact.  The  first  and  third  reasons  are 
based  upon  the  average  annual  earnings  in  the  bituminous  coal  fields 
for  substantially  similar  work. 

(a)  This  company  does  not  know  what  rate  of  wages  is  paid  in  the 
bituminous  coal  fields  throughout  the  country,  but  there  is  nowhere  in 
any  fields  u  substantially  similar  work”  to  that  which  is  done  under 
contract  in  the  mines  of  this  company.  The  bituminous  coal  fields, 
extending  from  Pennsylvania  to  the  Pacific,  have  no  uniform  rate  of 
wages,  and  the  conditions  are  so  different  in  different  localities  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  obtain,  with  any  certainty,  a  standard  which 
would  be  of  any  use  in  considering  the  wages  which  should  be  paid  in 
the  mines  of  this  company.  It  is  a  fact,  however,  that  miners  of 
ordinary  skill  and  experience  have  always  been  able  to  go  from  the 
mines  of  this  company  to  any  other  mining  region  throughout  the 
country  and  obtain  employment;  but  with  the  exception  of  the  very 
considerable  number  who  have  obtained  positions  as  bosses  and  fore¬ 
men  and  superintendents  in  bituminous  mines,  those  who  have  gone 
from  the  mines  of  this  company  have  invariably  returned.  This  was 
notably  the  case  during  the  recent  strike.  Labor  was  never  in  greater 
demand  throughout  the  country,  and  any  able-bodied  man  could  find 
employment  upon  the  railroads  or  in  the  iron  furnaces  and  mills,  or  in 
the  bituminous  mines  and  slate  quarries;  but  those  who  went  to  the 
bituminous  mines  found  the  conditions  so  much  harder  and  so  much 
more  disagreeable  that  they  refused  to  remain,  and  so  soon  as  work 
was  resumed  nearly  every  one  who  had  left  the  employment  of  this 
company  returned;  and  one  of  the  most  serious  difficulties  which  has 
occurred  since  the  resumption  of  work  has  been  that  so  many  of  them 
have  insisted  that  those  who  have  taken  their  places  should  be  removed 
and  that  they  should  be  given  their  old  situations. 

(b)  The  second,  fourth,  fifth,  and  ninth  reasons,  which  allege  in 
effect  that  the  present  rate  of  wages  and  the  average  annual  earnings 
are  less  than  in  other  occupations  requiring  equal  skill  and  training, 
and  not  sufficient  to  compensate  the  mine  workers,  in  view  of  the  dan¬ 
gerous  character  of  their  occupation,  and  below  the  fair  and  just  earn¬ 
ings  of  mine  workers,  are  equally  unfounded.  The  work  of  the  miner 
in  the  anthracite  mines  does  not  require  unusual  skill  or  training.  A 
laborer  of  ordinary  intelligence  could  in  the  course  of  a  few  months. 


S.  Doc.  6 - 9 


130  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

learn  all  that  is  necessary  that  a  skilled  miner  should  know.  Under 
the  law,  a  beginner  is  required  to  work  two  years  before  he  can  get  a 
certificate  as  a  miner  who  is  to  cut  and  blast  coal,  but  no  such  length 
of  time  is  really  necessary  to  qualify  the  average  man  for  the  work. 
That  the  rate  of  wages  is  not  lower  than  that  paid  in  other  occupations 
requiring  equal  skill  and  training,  and  that  the  average  earnings  are 
not  less  or  insufficient  to  compensate  them  in  view  of  the  character  of 
their  occupation,  is  apparent  from  the  fact  that  they  have  preferred, 
during  many  years,  to  remain  in  the  employment  of  the  company 
rather  than  go'  elsewhere.  About  one-half  of  the  men  work  inside  and 
about  one-half  outside. 

The  wages  earned  per  da}r,  and  the  aggregate  amount  for  the  year 
1901,  are  set  forth  in  the  statement  hereto  annexed,  marked  “Exhibit 
A.”  It  will  be  seen  that  for  a  day  of  ten  hours  contract  miners  earned 
an  average  of  $3.14  per  day;  skilled  laborers,  $2.31;  unskilled  labor¬ 
ers,  $1.83;  boys,  $1  for  work  underground.  The  rates  for  outside 
labor  average  as  follows:  Skilled  labor,  $1.96;  unskilled  labor,  $1.28; 
boys,  77  cents.  The  average  annual  earnings  of  adults  were  $475.25. 

They  have  some  incidental  advantages.  Supplies  are  cheap,  and  the 
climate  is  an  exceptionally  good  one,  and  while  working  underground 
the  men  escape  the  extremes  of  temperature  which  a  farm  laborer,  a 
lumberman,  or  a  workman  in  open  quarries  must  encounter,  and  the 
experience  of  many  years  has  shown  that  those  who  leave  the  anthra¬ 
cite  mines,  attracted  by  the  stories  of  higher  wages  paid  in  the  gold 
and  silver  mines  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  almost  invariably  return. 
In  fact,  very  few  men  who  have  worked  for  the  Lehigh  Coal  and 
Navigation  Company  have  ever  left  it  voluntarily,  except  those  able 
to  obtain  official  positions,  as  bosses  or  superintendents  in  other  mines 
and  foreigners  who  had  saved  a  competence  and  returned  to  their 
homes  in  Europe. 

(c)  The  further  reason  that  the  earnings  are  insufficient  to  maintain 
the  American  standard  of  living,  and  to  maintain  a  fair  standard  of 
life  upon  the  basis  of  present  wages,  and  so  low  that  their  children  are 
prematurely  forced  into  the  breakers,  is  entirely  inconsistent  with  the 
facts,  so  far  as  the  operations  of  this  company  are  concerned.  It  is 
much  to  be  regretted  that  the  members  of  the  Commission  had  only 
time  to  visit  the  nearly  worked-out  portion  of  one  of  the  collieries  of 
the  company,  and  were  unable  to  see  Lansford,  Summit  Hill,  and 
other  mining  villages  in  which  the  conditions  of  life  are  as  favorable 
as  are  enjoyed  by  an  American  workman  in  any  part  of  the  country. 
Out  of  3,043  families,  870  own  their  own  houses.  Pianos  will  be  found 
in  146,  and  house  organs  in  337.  The  company  owns  and  rents  to  its 
employees  671  houses,  at  an  average  rental  of  $4.70  a  month.  The 
character  of  these  houses  is  fully  up  to  the  average  in  any  part  of  the 
country  occupied  by  any  other  class  of  workmen.  As  a  systematic 
misrepresentation  of  the  facts  in  regard  to  the  condition  of  the  miners 
in  the  anthracite  region,  photographs  of  the  shanties  and  huts  put  up 
and  occupied  by  foreigners  (who  are  unwilling  to  pay  fair  rentals,  and 
prefer  to  save  the  larger  part  of  their  earnings,  in  order  that  they  may 
return  to  their  homes  and  live  in  idleness)  have  been  printed  and 
widely  published,  and  the  attention  of  the  Commission  was  called  from 
time  to  time  to  hovels  of  this  character  as  illustrations  of  the  way  in 
which  the  men  were  obliged  to  live:  but  if  the  homes  of  self-respect¬ 
ing  miners,  who  have  worked  for  this  company  from  boyhood,  as  did 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  131 


their  fathers  before  them,  could  have  been  visited  it  would  have  been 
seen  that  they  were  living*  with  the  comfort  and  neatness  and  con¬ 
veniences  of  American  civilization.  It  has  been  the  policy  of  the  com¬ 
pany  to  sell  surface  rights  to  those  of  its  employees  who  desired  to  put 
up  their  own  houses,  and  for  many  years  there  has  been  a  steady 
demand  on  this  account.  The  town  of  Summit  Hill  has  a  population 
of  about  3,000,  and  almost  the  entire  surface,  with  the  dwellings,  is 
now  owned  and  occupied  by  employees  of  the  company.  This  bor¬ 
ough  and  Lansford  are  lighted  with  electric  light,  both  incandescent 
for  domestic  use  and  arc  lights  for  the  streets,  the  electricity  for  these 
lights  being  furnished  by  this  company  practically  at  cost.  The  incan¬ 
descent  lights  in  the  dwellings  in  Lansford  and  vicinity  number  over 
6,000.  It  should  be  added  that  this  company  owns  over  100  houses 
which  were  built  many  years  ago,  and  which  are  much  inferior  to  the 
present  standard,  and  these  are  rented  at  a  rate  of  about  $2.50  a  month 
or  less  to  those  who  are  unwilling  to  pay  a  higher  rental.  It  is  in  all 
cases,  however,  a  matter  of  choice  and  not  of  necesshy  that  any 
employee  should  occupy  such  a  dwelling,  and  almost  without  excep¬ 
tion  these  people  are  foreign  born  who  do  not  speak  the  English 
language. 

The  families  of  the  employees  have  ample  school  accommodations, 
with  capable  teachers,  and  over  3,000  children  are  in  attendance,  while 
over  75  per  centum  of  the  whole  fund  expended  in  the  region  is  derived 
from  taxes  paid  by  this  company  upon  its  coal  estate.  The  law  forbids 
employing  boys  under  12  years  of  age,  but  the  company  must  rely 
upon  the  representations  of  the  parents  as  to  the  ages  of  their  boys. 
In  case  of  doubt,  they  are  required  to  furnish  affidavits,  and  if  any 
below  the  prescribed  age  do  impose  upon  the  officials  of  the  company 
the  number  must  be  very  limited.  It  is  to  be  observed,  also,  that  in 
the  preparation  and  handling  of  the  coal  there  is  an  unusual  demand 
for  the  labor  of  boys.  Slate  picking  is  a  very  easy  occupation  com¬ 
pared  to  the  work  done  by  the  boy  upon  a  farm,  and  many  are  needed 
to  take  care  of  the  mine  mules  and  other  light  work,  and  in  this  way 
the  wages  of  the  household  are  largely  and  legitimately  increased.  It 
is  probably  true  that  it  is  by  the  combined  exertions  of  the  father  and 
his  boys  that  the  comfortable  dwellings  which  many  of  them  occupy 
have  been  built  and  furnished,  but  in  very  many  cases  the  father  has 
been  able  to  send  his  sons  to  high  schools  or  technical  schools  and  to 
college  for  education.  Since  1887  more  than  250  young  men  have  gone 
from  Lansford  and  other  villages  in  the  neighborhood  to  normal  schools 
and  colleges  and  become  mining  engineers,  attorneys,  chemists,  den¬ 
tists,  architects,  ministers,  and  priests. 

As  before  stated,  some  of  the  foreigners  prefer  to  live  in  a  very  nig- 
gardty  and  squalid  manner,  so  that  they  may  accumulate  the  larger 
part  of  their  earnings,  and  return  to  Europe  to  live  in  idleness;  but 
those  who  have  their  permanent  home  in  the  region  have  at  least 
$1,000,000  on  deposit  in  the  banks  and  saving  funds  in  the  vicinity, 
saved  from  the  wages  earned  in  the  employment  of  this  company. 
The  annual  remittances  to  their  families  and  friends  abroad,  through 
agencies  in  the  region  and  vicinity,  amounted  to  $150,000  or  more. 
To  this  should  be  added  the  large  savings  of  the  Italian  laborers  who 
generally  remit  through  New  York  bankers,  and  of  Swedes  who  peri¬ 
odically  send  one  of  their  number  to  Sweden  to  carry  their  remittances. 


132  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

In  1881  the  company  established  a  beneficial  fund,  to  which  it  has  con¬ 
tributed  the  sum  of  $196,889,  and  the  employees  $154,768. . 

When  the  strike  of  1900  occurred,  the  employees  of  this  company 
refused  to  join  in  the  strike  or  to  become  members  of  the  union. 
Repeated  meetings  were  held,  and  appeals  were  made  to  stand  by  the 
men  in  the  other  sections,  but  they  declined,  and  upon  two  occasions 
mobs  of  several  thousand  men  marched  into  the  Panther  Creek  Valley 
and  drove  the  men  from  their  work. 

In  recognition  of  their  fidelity  the  board  made  a  contribution  to  the 
beneficial  fund  of  $25,000  as  set  forth  in  the  following  statement: 

To  the  employees  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company: 

The  officers  and  managers  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company  desire  to 
give  public  expression  of  their  high  appreciation  of  the  conduct  of  their  employees 
during  the  recent  strike  in  other  portions  of  the  region.  Their  steadfast  loyalty  pre¬ 
vented  the  business  and  prosperity  of  the  community  in  which  they  lived  from  being 
interfered  with,  and  by  working  they  served  both  the  company’s  interest  and  their 
own.  Such  an  exhibition  of  friendly  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  men  in  the  employ 
of  the  company  is  most  gratifying,  and  it  is  confidently  hoped  that  nothing  will  ever 
occur  to  disturb  the  cordial  relations  which  have  so  long  prevailed.  In  recognition 
of  the  courage  and  fidelity  shown  by  their  employees,  the  managers  of  the  company 
at  their  last  meeting  directed  that  a  contribution  of  $25,000  should  be  made  to  the 
Lansford  Beneficial  Fund. 

This  fund  has  been  in  successful  operation  since  1884,  and  is  one  in  which  all  the 
employees  of  the  company  participate  if  they  are  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  injured  in 
the  company’s  service.  This  contribution  is  in  addition  to  the  sum  paid  annually, 
which  is  based  on  the  production  of  coal  by  the  company.  The  contribution  to  this 
fund  by  the  company  and  the  men  amount  up  to  this  time  to  upward  of  $320,000, 
which  sum  has  nearly  all  been  paid  out  under  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  fund 
to  the  employees  of  this  company,  and  the  fund  in  its  practical  working  has  proven 
to  be  one  of  the  most  worthy  institutions. 

The  sum  donated  is  to  be  invested  in  good  mortgage  bonds,  and  held  in  trust,  and 
the  income  from  the  same  is  to  be  used  to  augment  the  receipts  of  the  fund. 

Lewis  A.  Riley,  President. 

Philadelphia,  November  7,  1900. 

Since  then,  most  of  them  have  joined  the  union,  and  felt  bound  to 
join  in  the  strike  when  ordered  last  May.  No  complaint  was  addressed 
to  this  company;  no  grievance  alleged;  and  no  request  for  higher  wages 
made;  but,  without  notice,  the  men  left  work  in  a  body,  against  their 
own  will  and  judgment,  because  required  to  do  so  by  the  vote  of  the 
miners  employed  in  other  coal  fields.  During  the  strike,  many  of 
them  have  expressed  their  anxiety  to  resume  work,  and  many  of  them 
have  assured  the  soldiers  and  officers,  who  were  on  duty,  that  so  far  as 
they  were  concerned,  they  would  be  glad  to  go  back,  if  permitted  to 
do  so,  and  they  were  only  deterred  and  held  back  by  being  kept  in  a 
state  of  subjection  by  a  small  minority  of  lawless  men,  who  assaulted 
those  who  were  at  work,  terrorized  their  families,  attacked  their  homes, 
and  made  it  impossible  for  any  man  to  resume  work  unless  sheltered 
and  fed  within  the  protection  of  the  company.  There  have  been,  of 
course,  the  usual  protestations  on  the  part  of  the  leaders  of  the  union 
that  they  discouraged  violence,  but  they  were  easily  understood  in  the 
sense  which  was  intended,  and  a  fresh  outbreak  always  followed  a  visit 
of  the  strike  leaders  to  the  neighborhood.  These  brutal  and  savage 
crimes  were  only  committed  in  the  interest  of  the  strike  ordered  by  the 
union.  No  personal  animosity  prompted  or  inspired  them,  but  they 
were  made  systematically  and  repeatedly  and  deliberately  in  the  inter¬ 
ests  of  the  strike  of  the  miners’  union,  and  the  miners’ union  did  noth¬ 
ing  as  an  organization,  to  prevent  them,  nor  made  the  slightest  effort 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  133 

to  secure  the  arrest  and  conviction  of  the  men  guilty  of  these  outrages. 
On  the  contrary,  it  did  what  it  could  to  shield  and  defend  them.  A 
list  of  the  events  of  this  character,  far  from  complete,  will  be  found  in 

the  appendix,  marked  “  Exhibit  B.” 

Third.  The  claim  for  a  reduction  of  20  per  cent  in  the  hours  of 
labor,  without  any  reduction  in  earnings,  for  all  employees  paid  by 
the  hour,  day,  or  week,  would  be  peculiarly  absurd  if  enforced  as 
against  this  company.  In  point  of  fact,  the  breakers  of  the  company 
are  only  able  to  run  nine  hours  a  day  and  not  ten.  The  miners  only 
work  from  five  to  seven  hours  a  day  and  the  real  difficulty  in  the 
region  is  that  contract  labor  prices  are  too  high,  as  the  men  get  an 
amount  sufficient  for  their  wants  by  working  less  than  thiee-quaiteis 
of  a  day.  The  men  employed  by  the  day  only  work,  as  a  maximum, 
nine  hours,  and  as  many  of  them  consume  from  half  an  hour  to  an 
hour  in  going  to  and  from  their  work  to  the  foot  of  the  shaft,  they  do 
not  even  work  nine  hours.  Compared  to  the  work  of  the  farm  laborer 
or  the  man  upon  the  railroad,  the  hours  of  labor  and  the  wages  are 
much  more  satisfactory  in  the  mines  of  this  company  than  in  any 
other  employment  in  eastern  Pennsylvania,  as  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  the  supply  has  always  been  equal  to  the  demand.  As  illustrating 
the  influence  of  the  excessive  rates  paid  for  contract  work,  it  may  be 
said  that  during  normal  conditions  in  April  of  this  year  the  men  work¬ 
ing  by  contract  only  earned  an  average  of  $3.02  a  day,  but  when  it 
became  probable  that  a  strike  would  be  ordered,  the  same  men  earned 
an  average  of  $4,468  a  day. 

Fourth.  The  claim  that  a  system  should  be  adopted  by  which  coal 
should  be  paid  for  by  weight  ‘‘whenever  practicable,”  has  no  applica¬ 
tion  to  this  company.  A  geological  map,  made  many  years  ago  by 
Mr.  Roth  well,  is  hereto  annexed  marked  “Exhibit  C,”  which  will 
show  at  a  glance  the  general  character  of  the  veins  in  the  property  of 
the  Lehigh  company.  Some  of  them  are  at  places  quite  vertical,  and 
are  nearly  always  what  are  known  as  steep  pitching.  Not  only  does 
each  mine,  therefore,  constitute  a  distinct  problem,  but  the  conditions 
in  each  mine  vary  from  month  to  month,  and  almost  from  day  to  day. 
As  no  supervision  can  be  exercised  over  the  miner  engaged  in  cutting 
coal  at  the  top  of  a  steep  chamber  or  room,  the  work  must  be  done  by 
contract,  and  the  only  method  which  has  ever  given  satisfaction  is  to 
pay  for  the  cutting  by  the  lineal  yard.  How  much  this  should  be  can 
only  be  determined  in  each  particular  case  between  the  superintendent 
or  mine  boss  and  the  miner.  When  mining  is  not  paid  for  by  the 
lineal  yard,  the  contract  is  based  on  a  price  at  the  bieakei  in  cars.  _The 
cars  used  by  this  company  are  of  uniform  size,  each  containing  100 
cubic  feet.  The  price  paid  varies  according  to  the  condition  of  the 
vein,  locality,  degree  of  danger,  etc.;  the  car  must  be  a  full  carload 
and  be  reasonably  free  from  impurities no  uniform  price  per  car 
could  be  fixed  that  would  be  fair  to  the  miner  or  to  the  company,  but 
most  of  the  work  is  paid  for  by  the  lineal  yard.  Any  method  of  pay¬ 
ing  for  coal  by  weight,  under  the  conditions  prevalent  at  the  collieries 
operated  by  this  company  would  therefore  be  impiacticable,  and  is 
not  desired  by  either  the  employers  or  employees.  There  must  be  a 
bargain  made  for  each  separate  piece  of  work,  and  that  this  can  be 
done  to  the  satisfaction  of  both  sides  is  conclusively  proved  by  the  fact 
already  mentioned,  that  at  the  time  of  the  strike  in  1900  the  employ  ces 


134  REPORT  OE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

of  the  company  refused  to  join  it,  and  were  almost  unanimously 
opposed  to  that  ordered  in  May  last. 

Down  to  1900  any  differences  of  opinion  between  the  miners  and  the 
mine  boss  were  easily  adjusted  by  a  reference  to  the  mine  foreman,  or, 
if  necessary,  by  an  appeal  to  the  superintendent,  but  since  the  strike 
of  1900,  and  the  men  have  been  induced  to  become  members  of  the 
miners’  union,  they  have  been  much  more  disposed  to  be  unreasonable 
and  make  trouble,  and  the  adjustment  of  prices  to  be  paid  for  contract 
work  has  not  always  been  easy,  and  in  consequence  of  the  advance  in 
wages,  they  have  been  able  to  earn  the  same  rate  of  wages  as  formerly 
by  less  work,  so  that  the  result  is  that  the  output  of  the  mines  has  been 
considerably  reduced.  Some  influence,  believed  to  be  that  of  the 
union,  has  led  the  men  to  reduce  the  production,  but  notwithstanding 
this  difficulty,  it  remains  true  that  the  only  way  in  which  wages  can  be 
satisfactorily  measured  is  by  contract  for  the  work  done,  which  neces¬ 
sarily  varies  from  mine  to  mine,  and  sometimes  between  breasts  upon 
the  same  gangway,  and  even  upon  the  same  breast,  from  day  to  day. 

Fifth.  To  the  demand  that  there  shall  be  an  agreement  between 
the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America  and  the  anthracite  coal  compa¬ 
nies,  this  company  respectfully  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
statement  under  which  the  Commission  was  appointed  declared  that 
the  managers  of  the  coal  companies  were  not  willing  to  enter  into 
arbitration  with  the  mine  workers’  union,  for  the  reason  that  that 
organization  was  chiefly  composed  of  men  in  rival  and  competitive 
interests,  and  were  not  willing  to  make  any  arrangement  which  would 
not  secure  to  the  men  then  working,  or  then  and  thereafter  wishing  to 
work,  whether  they  belonged  to  the  mine  workers’  union  or  not,  the 
opportunity  to  work  in  safety,  without  personal  insult  or  bodily  harm 
to  themselves  or  their  families. 

This  company  desires  to  reiterate  the  objections  then  specified,  and 
sa}r  that  it  would  not  have  consented  to  appear  before  the  Commission  if 
it  had  not  understood  that  it  was  not  to  be  asked  to  enter  into  an  agree¬ 
ment  with  the  mine  workers’  union.  In  addition  to  the  reasons  urged 
by  the  representatives  of  the  operators  against  entering  into  any  such 
agreement,  there  are  some  peculiar  to  this  company.  The  conditions 
of  mining  in  the  Lehigh  and  Schuylkill  regions  are  quite  different 
from  those  which  exist  in  the  Wyoming  and  Scranton  districts.  While 
this  company  has  no  objection,  therefore,  to  its  own  employees  organ¬ 
izing  among  themselves,  it  has  always  objected  and  does  object  even 
to  an  organization  which  includes  other  anthracite  fields,  working 
under  different  systems  of  compensation,  as  a  result  of  which  its  men 
are  ordered  upon  strikes  by  reason  of  controversies  in  which  they  have 
no  interest.  It  is  unreasonable  and  unjust  that  the  mines  of  this  com¬ 
pany  should  be  shut  down  because  of  a  quarrel  in  a  mine  in  Luzerne 
or  Lackawanna  counties,  and  it  is  absurd  that  a  question  in  dispute 
in  its  mines  should  be  determined  by  the  authority  of  miners  in  the 
bituminous  coal  field,  who  are  interested  to  have  the  anthracite  mines 
shut  down  in  order  that  they  may  themselves  work  full  time  in  their 
mines. 

It  would  be  still  more  inexcusable  that  any  outside  authority  should 
assume  to  interfere  in  the  discharge  of  an  employee.  Every  freeman 
has  the  right  to  quit  work  when  and  as  he  chooses,  and  the  employer 
must  possess  and  be  able  to  exercise  the  reciprocal  right  of  discharge 
if  he  is  to  maintain  discipline;  and  in  a  business  where  property  of 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  135 


such  vast  importance,  and  the  lives  of  hundreds,  are  at  the  mercy  of 
those  engaged  in  running  the  engines  or  hoists  or  in  charge  of  the  ven¬ 
tilation,  it  would  be  criminal  for  the  owners  to  abdicate  their  duty  and 
surrender  their  right  to  discharge  any  man  in  their  employ  at  pleasure; 
and  if  this  company  has  been  erroneously  advised  to  the  effect  that  no 
such  question  has  been  submitted  to  the  Commission  for  its  consider¬ 
ation  or  decision,  it  respectfully  prays  to  be  permitted  to  withdraw 
from  the  submission  which  otherwise  it  would  gladly  make. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

The  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company. 

By  Lewis  A.  Biley,  President. 

Samuel  Dickson,  Counsel. 

EXHIBIT  A.— WAGES  OF  MINERS. 

STATEMENT  SHOWING  THE  EARNINGS  OF  THE  EMPLOYEES  OF  THE 
LEHIGH  COAL  AND  NAVIGATION  COMPANY  FOR  ONE  YEAR,  BASED 
ON  THE  TIME  WORKED  DURING  1901,  THE  NUMBER  OF  THE  SEV¬ 
ERAL  CLASSES  OF  WORKMEN  AND  THE  RATES  PAID  BEING  TAKEN 
FROM  THE  PAY  ROLL  FOR  THE  FIRST  HALF  OF  MAY,  1902. 

•  A.— INSIDE  THE  MINES. 


Description. 

Number 
of  em¬ 
ployees. 

Daily 

average 

rates. 

Earnings 
per  day. 

Num¬ 
ber  of 
days  em¬ 
ployed. 

Annual 
earnings  per 
class. 

Average 
annual 
earnings 
per  em¬ 
ployee. 

Contract  miners . 

Other  skilled  labor . 

Unskilled  labor . 

Boys . . 

622 

707 

1,032 

114 

$3. 144 
2. 31 
1.83 
1.006 

$1,  955. 57 
1,633.17 
1, 888. 56 
114. 68 

235. 00 
241. 00 
216. 00 
208. 75 

8459, 558. 95 
393, 593. 97 
407,928.96 
23,939. 45 

8738. 84 
556. 71 
395. 28 
210. 00 

2,- 475 

5,591.98 

1, 285, 021. 33 

519. 20 

Average  annual  earnings  of  the  2,361  adults  employed  inside,  $534.13. 

Average  daily  earnings  for  a  day  of  ten  hours  of  the  2,361  adults  employed  inside, 

$2.32. 

B.— OUTSIDE  THE  MINES. 


Description. 

Number 
of  em¬ 
ployees. 

Daily 

average 

rates. 

Earn¬ 
ings  per 
day. 

Num¬ 
ber  of 
days  em¬ 
ployed. 

Annual 
earnings  per 
class. 

Average 
annual 
earnings 
per  em¬ 
ployee. 

SlriUprl  labor  . . 

605 

$1.96 

$1, 185. 80 

275. 00 

$326, 095. 00 

$539. 00 

TTn«Hllf>rl  labor  . 

1,279 

1.28 

1,637.12 

258. 00 

422, 376. 96 

330. 24 

Boys . 

'761 

.77 

585. 97 

208. 75 

122,  321.24 

160.  73 

2,645 

3, 408. 89 

870, 793. 20 

329. 22 

Average  annual  earnings  of  the  1,884  adults  employed  outside,  $397.28. 
Average  daily  earnings  of  the  1,884  adults  employed  outside,  $1,499. 


136  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

SUMMARY  A  AND  B. 


Number  of  employees. 

Average 
daily 
earnings 
per  em¬ 
ployee. 

Average 
annual 
earnings 
per  em¬ 
ployee. 

$2. 32 
1.499 

$534. 13 
397. 28 

1,884  adults,  outside . 

A  Odft  arlnlts  insirlp  nnrl  nntsidfi 

1. 955 

1.006 

.77 

.80 

1.955 

.80 

1.756 

475.  75 

210. 00 
160.  73 

167. 16 

475.  75 
167.16 

421. 05 

114  bn  vs  in  si  rip  . . . . 

87ft  hnvs  insidfi  find  nntsidfi  . - . 

4  94  n  rin  Its  in  si  rip  anrl  ontsidp  . . - . 

£7  R  Views  in  si  rip  tin  rl  on  t,  si  dp  . . 

ft  lonpmnlnvpM  insidfi  and  nntsidfi  . . . . . 

During  the  months  of  August  and  December  heavy  rains  occurred,  drowning  out  a 
number  of  mines  and  resulting  in  loss  of  working  time  equal  to  thirty  days  for  all 
the  collieries. 

The  5,120  employees  represent  3,043  families. 


The  average  total  daily  wages  paid  by  the  company  was  equal  to  daily 

average  per  family . - .  __  $2.  96 

Total  amount  paid  the  employees  of  the  company  in  1901  was .  2, 158,  885.  38 

Had  not  two  floods  reduced  the  working  time  by  about  thirty  days,  the 
amount  paid  would  have  been  about .  2,  355, 142.  69 


APPROXIMATE  VALUE  OF  PROPERTY  OWNED  BY  EMPLOYEES  PAST 
AND  PRESENT  OF  LEHIGH  COAL  AND  NAVIGATION  COMPANY. 


Locality. 

Approxi¬ 
mate  value. 

Assessed 

value. 

Pansfnrd  . . . 

$1, 054, 956 

644. 730 
504,  990 
304, 540 

362. 730 

$175, 826 
107, 455 
84, 165 
243, 730 
152, 270 

Summit  Hill  . 

Man  fib  ChnnV  Town  shin  . 

Rahn  Town  shin  . 

Tn.mfl.qim  . 

Total  . 

2, 871,946 

763, 446 

MONEY  ON  DEPOSIT. 


First  National  Bank,  Mauch  Chunk .  5800, 000 

Second  National  Bank,  Mauch  Chunk .  350, 000 

Linderman  National  Bank,  Mauch  Chunk .  185,000 

First  National  Bank,  Lansford . . .  132, 000 

First  National  Bank,  Tamaqua .  370, 000 

Tamaqua  Banking  and  Trust  Company .  193, 000 

Sayings  and  building  funds  and  other  depositories .  500, 000 


Total . : . .  2,530,000 


It  is  safe  to  say  that  at  least  $1,000,000  of  the  above  deposits  is  the  property  of 
employees  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company,  and  represents  savings  from 
wages  earned  in  its  employ.  Of  the  3,043  families  now  furnishing  the  employees  for 
the  company,  870,  or  nearly  27  per  cent,  own  houses.  In  146  of  these  houses  pianos 
are  found.  In  337  of  these  houses  organs  are  found.  Churches  and  schools  within 
the  boundaries  of  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company’s  territory: 

CHURCHES. 


Lansford .  12 

Summit  Hill .  7 

Mauch  Chunk  Township . 3 

Rahn  Township .  6 

East  Ward,  Tamaqua .  1 

Total .  29 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  137 


SCHOOLS. 


Locality. 


Lansford . 

Summit  Hill . 

Maucli  Chunk  Township 

Rahn  Township . 

East  Ward,  Tamaqua 

Total . 


Teachers. 

Scholars. 

23 

1,120 

16 

812 

13 

475 

17 

632 

3 

140 

72 

3, 179 

EXHIBIT  B.—  LIST  OF  RIOTS,  ASSAULTS,  AND  OTHER  OVERT  ACTS  ON 

THE  PART  OF  STRIKERS  IN  THE  LEHIGH  COAL  AND  NAVIGATION 
COMPANY  TERRITORY. 

[There  are  many  minor  cases  that  were  not  made  note  of,  and  many  Hungarians, 
who  continued  at  work,  have  been  beaten  without  attention  being  specially  called 
to  the  fact,  fearing  that  if  they  would  tell  they  would  be  subject  to  further  abuse.] 

May  16.— A  large  body  of  strikers  surrounded  the  men  loading  stock  coal  at  Hauto 
and  threatened  that  if  they  did  not  cease  work  they  would  be  stoned  to  death.  Since 
then  these  men  have  been  fed  and  lodged  by  the  company,  all  the  while  working 
and  living  under  a  strong  guard  day  and  night. 

June  2. — The  engineers  and  firemen  were  called  out  on  strike.  Many  of  them  did 
not  immediately  desert,  but  through  intimidation  and  fear  of  assault  they  were 
afraid  to  continue  at  work.  In  the  course  of  a  week  but  few  remained  at  their  posts. 

june  ^._At  Nesquehoning,  houses  of  engineers  remaining  at  work  were  stoned. 

June  5. — Briggs,  the  engineer  at  No.  6,  at  night,  in  the  presence  of  his  wife,  was 
threatened  with  bodily  harm  if  he  did  not  cease  working.  His  wife  was  thrown 
into  hysterics. 

June  8. — A  large  meeting  of  strikers  was  held  in  Lansford  Opera  House,  at  which 
Mitchell  was  expected  to  speak.  As  a  result  of  the  meeting,  the  next  morning 
(June  9),  large  gangs  of  strikers  congregated  on  the  street  corners  as  early  as  3  o’clock, 
and  by  threats  and  by  intimidation  turned  back  many  men  on  their  way  to  work. 

June  11—  Sheriffs  of  Schuylkill  and  Carbon  counties  were  asked  to  restore  peace. 
A  young  man,  named  Ackerman,  in  going  to  work  at  Lansford  shops,  was  surrounded 
by  a  large  mob,  and  hit  a  terrific  blow  in  the  face  by  a  big  Hungarian. 

June  16.—  Mobs  kept  a  number  of  stable  bosses  at  home,  thus  preventing  them 
looking  after  the  stock. 

June  12.— Mobs  made  midnight  calls  at  the  houses  of  men  awTay  at  work  to  frighten 
their  wives  with  threats  of  blowing  up  their  homes  with  dynamite  if  they  did  not 
persuade  their  husbands  from  going  to  work. 

June  13—  Merchants,  butchers,  milkmen,  and  bakers  were  warned  by  committees 
of  strikers  not  to  furnish  the  necessaries  of  life  to  the  families  of  men  at  work  or 
suffer  the  penalty  of  boycott. 

Hungarians  working  at  No.  10,  captured  in  Tamaqua  by  Coaldale  strikers,  and 
marched  to  McAdoo.  To  make  the  journey  as  painful  as  possible  to  the  marched 
men,  pebbles  were  put  in  their  shoes  by  the  strikers. 

June  28. — Martin  Poinitski  was  beaten  by  strikers  because  he  persisted  in  working. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  assaulted  while  on  their  way  home. 

June  29. — Hungarian  workmen  were  kidnaped  by  strikers  and  forced  to  walk  to 

McAdoo. 

June  30. — Clay  gang  was  stopped  from  going  to  work.  Policemen  escorting  men 
to  work  in  the  morning  were  attacked  by  mobs.  Coal  and  iron  Policeman  Harris, 
in  getting  off  a  trolley  car  while  on  the  wTay  to  his  home,  was  surrounded  by  a  mob 
and  accompanied  as  far  as  the  door  of  his  house.  Threatening  to  follow  into  the 


188  REPORT  OE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


house,  he  drew  his  revolver  and  drove  them  away.  Later  on,  he  was  arrested  and 
put  under  bail  for  carrying  a  concealed  deadly  weapon. 

Four  coal  and  iron  policemen,  in  trying  to  make  arrests  at  noon,  were  surrounded 
by  a  mob,  pushed  around,  beaten,  and  one  badly  wounded.  A  Hungarian  was  kid¬ 
naped  and  marched  to  Tamaqua  by  Coaldale  strikers.  The  man  was  badly  beaten. 
Thomas  Barr  and  Henry  Shaeffer,  coal  and  iron  policemen,  in  protecting  a  Hunga¬ 
rian  going  to  work,  and  attacked  by  a  mob,  were  interfered  with  and  beaten.  The 
policemen  swore  out  warrants  against  the  leaders  of  the  mob,  who  were  released 
under  light  bail. 

John  Pashuta  was  forcibly  taken  off  the  pavement  on  Ridge  street,  Lansford,  and 
inarched  down  the  valley  toward -Tamaqua.  He  was  beaten,  kicked,  and  dragged 
by  his  heels,  and  left  for  dead  by  the  roadside.  He  is  still  disabled  through  the 
severe  treatment  given  him,  and  the  doctors  say  his  injuries  are  permanent. 

Chief  of  Police  Chester  and  Assistant  Superintendent  Snyder,  in  endeavoring  to 
rescue  Pashuta,  were  surrounded  by  the  mob,  thrown  to  the  ground,  jumped  upon, 
and  robbed  of  their  revolvers. 

July  5. — At  the  baseball  park,  Lansford,  stones  were  wedged  in  the  guard  rail  of 
the  trolley  road.  This  same  place  was  blocked  a  number  of  times  afterwards. 

July  7.— William  Black,  a  workman,  at  Summit  Hill  while  coming  out  of  the  hall 
of  the  P.  0.  S.  of  A.  was  surrounded  by  strikers  and  marched  to  Coaldale,  and  there 
by  order  of  the  secretary  of  the  Coaldale  local,  was  taken  to  a  clubroom  where  he 
was  abused  and  obliged  to  swear  that  he  would  not  go  to  work  again. 

After  he  had  taken  the  oath,  the  officers  discovered  that  it  would  not  be  safe  to  let 
him  get  into  the  hands  of  the  mob  outside  the  building,  so  he  was  finally  taken  out 
the  back  way  by  some  of  the  prominent  strikers  and  given  his  liberty. 

July  8. — Elmer  McCready  and  Samuel  Nevins,  jr.,  two  young  men  working  at 
colliery  No.  4,  were  assaulted  and  beaten  by  a  body  of  strikers.  Eight  or  ten  of  the 
strikers  being  known  by  the  young  men,  they  were  arrested  but  they  were  released 
by  the  justice,  putting  them  under  light  bail. 

July  9. — M.  B.  Weidleich,  a  coal  and  iron  policeman,  was  surrounded  by  strikers 
on  a  street  of  Lansford,  at  dusk,  marched  to  Coaldale,  beaten,  shamefully  abused 
and  stripped  of  all  his  clothing  but  his  drawers.  In  this  condition  he  walked  to  his 
home,  a  distance  of  several  miles,  which  he  reached  in  an  exhausted  condition.  He 
was  confined  to  bed  for  several  weeks  by  his  injuries. 

July  10. — James  Smyrle,  a  brakeman,  living  at  Summit  Hill,  just  as  he  was  leaving 
his  home  in  the  morning,  was  captured  by  a  mob  of  strikers  and  marched  to  Coal¬ 
dale.  He  was  badly  beaten,  had  his  nose  broken,  and  was  nearly  stripped  nude. 
He  reached  home  without  shoes  and  but  little  clothing.  Smyrle  was  laid  up  for  a 
week  or  more  on  account  of  his  injuries. 

July  10.— The  sheriff  of  Carbon  County  applied  for  troops,  and  to  impress  the  gov¬ 
ernor  with  the  great  need  of  them,  a  committee  of  Lansford  citizens  went  to  Harris¬ 
burg  and  made  a  personal  appeal  to  the  governor  that  he  send  troops  to  the  Panther 
Creek  Valley  to  protect  life  and  property,  and  which  at  that  time  he  refused  to  do. 

July  13. — Samuel  Meese,  a  stableman  at  Nesquehoning,  was  chased  by  an  angry 
mob  of  strikers.  To  escape  them  he  took  refuge  in  the  house  of  a  friend. 

July  14. — Harry  Hornsberger,  a  coal  and  iron  policeman,  stationed  at  Lansford 
shops,  while  going  to  work  and  still  within  40  feet  of  his  door,  was  assaulted  by 
strikers  and  threatened  with  death  if  he  did  not  desert  his  post.  Hornsberger  had 
one  of  his  assailants,  Daniel  S.  Lewis,  arrested  and  put  under  bail. 

July  26. — John  Heugle,  a  brakeman  working  for  the  company,  living  at  Ilauto, 
was  captured  by  his  neighbors,  strikers,  and  marched  toward  Nesquehoning.  Word 
being  phoned  to  Lansford  office  of  the  kidnaping  of  Heugle,  a  force  of  policemen 
boarded  an  engine,  overtook  the  mob,  and  rounded  up  forty-seven  of  them.  All  were 
brought  to  Lansford  and  put  in  the  lockup.  Later  in  the  evening,  when  the  door  of 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  139 


the  lockup  was  opened  to  take  the  prisoners  to  the  squire  for  a  hearing,  with  the  aid 
of  a  lot  of  Lansford  strikers  the  greater  number  escaped.  However,  all  were  finally 
put  under  bail  to  appear  at  court. 

July  26. — The  wife  of  Heugle  while  trying  to  help  her  husband  escape  from  the 
mob,  was  knocked  down  and  jumped  upon  by  George  Jyumber,  a  striker.  Jyumber 
was  arrested  and  put  under  bail. 

July  26. — In  the  evening,  Arlington  switch  was  half  thrown  open  and  blocked  with 
stones  and  iron.  This  was  discovered  by  a  motorman  just  in  time  to  prevent  a  serious 
accident. 

August  ^.—Rioting  at  Summit  Hill.  A  number  of  workmen  were  beaten  and  a 
trolley  car  was  held  up. 

August  11.— Thomas  Reeves,  conductor,  was  pulled  off  his  car  at  Summit  Hill  by 
a  mob  of  strikers. 

August  18.—  Pay  Sharpe  was  killed  at  Nesquehoning  by  William  Ronemus,  whom 
he  was  assaulting.  Troops  were  again  asked  for,  and  a  battalion  of  the  Twelfth  Reg¬ 
iment  arrived  at  Lansford  the  next  morning.  During  the  day,  they  located  perma¬ 
nently  at  Manila  Grove. 

August  23—  Rails  on  trolley  road,  on  Coaldale  grade,  were  greased. 

August  23. — A  Hungarian  was  abused  and  assaulted  by  strikers  on  the  pike  leading 
to  Lansford  office. 

August  24. — The  guard  rail  on  curve  at  baseball  park  was  filled  up  with  stones  and 
blocked. 

August  25. — Peter  King,  a  nonunion  man,  was  robbed  by  strikers  on  Center  street, 
Lansford,  while  on  his  way  to  work.  To  avoid  being  mobbed,  he  goes  to  his  home 
but  once  a  week. 

August  25. — William  Henry  was  not  allowed  to  leave  his  house  by  a  mob  of  strikers, 
and  was  kept  in  until  August  27. 

August  26.— Thomas  Barr  and  Edwin  Fritz,  coal  and  iron  policemen,  were  badly 
beaten  by  a  mob  of  strikers  in  Coaldale;  17  strikers  were  arrested  for  this  offense. 

August  26. —Mrs.  Samuel  Pollock,  the  wife  of  a  workman,  was  abused  by  strikers 
and  her  clothes  torn  off  her  while  on  the  streets  of  Lansford. 

August  26. — A  Hungarian,  named  Shoemaker,  was  badly  beaten  by  strikers  in 
Lansford. 

August  27. — Two  trolley  poles,  on  the  Summit  Hill  grade,  were  sawed  off.  Two 
trolley  poles  between  Lansford  and  Coaldale  were  dynamited.  The  rails  on  the  grade 
east  of  Coaldale  were  greased. 

August  27. — A  bullet  was  fired  by  strikers  into  the  house  of  W.  C.  Henry. 

August  28. — A  detachment  of  soldiers  was  sent  to  guard  the  house  of  Henry.  They 
remained  on  duty  the  entire  night. 

August  28. — Strikers  started  two  cars  of  sills  down  the  Summit  Hill  grade.  The 
cars  derailed  near  No.  4  breaker  and  were  completely  wrecked.  The  lock  and  chain 
on  a  switch  was  taken  off  and  thrown  away. 

August  29.— Strikers  in  early  morning,  at  Lansford  Opera  House,  jeered  and  hooted 
the  soldiers.  The  soldiers  making  a  charge  on  the  strikers  drove  about  forty  of  them 
into  the  opera  house,  many  of  them  in  their  haste  breaking  windows  to  get  in. 

August  29. — John  Kelly  and  Frank  and  John  King,  strikers,  while  insulting  sol¬ 
diers,  were  captured  and  put  in  the  guardhouse, 

August  30  —  W.  C,  Henry,  being  surrounded  by  a  mob,  drew  his  revolver  to  defend 
himself, 

September  4. — The  trolley  track  to  car  barn  was  blocked  with  stones,  sills  and  beer 
kegs,  requiring  ten  minutes  to  clear  away  the  obstructions, 

September  12,—  A  Hungarian,  working  at  No.  4,  was  caught  by  strikers  near  Lans¬ 
ford  shops  and  terribly  beaten  about  the  head.  In  a  semiconscious  state,  he  wan- 


140  REPORT  OE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


dered  to  the  camp  at  Manila  Grove,  where  the  soldiers  dressed  his  wounds.  Two 
other  Hungarians  were  assaulted  by  strikers  in  Lansford  and  badly  beaten. 

September  13.— Through  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  carbine,  a  Hungarian  laborer 
was  killed  at  No.  4  colliery. 

September  16. — The  behavior  of  the  strikers,  who  interfered  with  the  funeral  of  the 
Hungarian  accidentally  killed  at  Colliery  No.  4,  which  took  place  from  his  boarding 
house  on  West  Bertsch  street,  Lansford,  was  most  disgraceful.  They  held  up  the 
funeral  for  an  hour  and  a  quarter,  insulting  the  preacher  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  to 
which  the  Hungarian  belonged,  while  conducting  the  services,  and  threatening  the 
pallbearers  with  severe  punishment  if  they  attempted  to  remove  the  corpse  from  the 
house.  At  the  graveyard  a  mob  of  about  1,000  gathered  to  hoot  and  jeer,  and  when 
the  grave  was  partly  tilled  up  desecrated  it. 

September  17. — Thomas  Richards,  serving  as  a  coal  and  iron  policeman,  in  order  to 
escape  neighbors  who  were  persecuting  him  and  his  family,  moved  to  a  quieter  part 
of  Lansford.  His  moving  was  greatly  interfered  with  by  the  strikers. 

September  18. —Charles  Loftus,  another  coal  and  iron  policeman,  while  moving  to 
another  part  of  town  was  interfered  with  by  the  strikers.  His  family  were  offered 
all  sorts  of  insults.  By  hooting,  jeering,  and  dancing  around  the  wagon,  and  by 
prodding  the  team  of  mules,  they  caused  a  runaway,  with  the  result  that  a  piano  on 
the  wagon  was  dumped  off  onto  the  street  and  badly  damaged.  Not  satisfied  with 
this,  they  further  damaged  the  piano  by  throwing  stones  at  it. 

September  27 . — Strikers  surrounded  the  house  of  John  Hunsicker,  living  at  Summit 
Hill,  and  to  keep  him  from  going  to  work  threw  stones  at  the  house,  breaking  in  the 
windows.  A  detachment  of  soldiers  was  sent  to  protect  him  on  his  way  to  work. 

September  20. — Archie  and  James  McMichael,  while  taking  a  boy  to  work  at  Lans¬ 
ford  shops,  were  surrounded  by  a  mob  of  strikers,  who  were  throwing  stones.  Archie 
McMichael  with  his  revolver  dispersed  the  mob. 

September  30—  W.  C.  Henry  to  have  peace  was  obliged  to  move  out  of  his  own 
house  into  one  he  rented  in  the  East  Ward  of  Lansford. 

September  30.— Crowds  of  strikers  congregated  at  the  corner  of  Bertsch  and  Center 
streets  and  the  corner  of  Ridge  and  Center  streets,  Lansford,  waiting  to  interfere  with 
workmen  going  home  from  work,  were  dispersed  by  soldiers  sent  for  that  purpose. 

October  1. — A  train  of  coal  cars  was  derailed  at  No.  9  switch.  The  strikers  learn¬ 
ing  of  the  derailment  assembled  in  large  numbers,  and  in  various  ways  interfered 
with  the  railroad  men  in  getting  the  cars  on  the  track.  The  mob  became  so  violent 
that  a  detachment  of  soldiers  was  called  for  to  disperse  it. 

Mrs.  Bristricke  was  cook  in  the  No.  10  stockade  during  the  strike.  Before  going 
to  the  stockade  she  lived  with  Mike  Nickles,  and  left  all  her  belongings  in  his  house 
excepting  what  she  needed  at  the  colliery.  Nickles  and  his  wife  also  took  work  at 
the  colliery  and  while  so  employed  locked  up  their  house.  Upon  their  return  from 
the  colliery,  they  found  their  home  had  been  entered,  and  the  contents  destroyed. 
The  legs  of  beds  and  tables  were  sawed  off,  trunks  were  broken  beyond  repair  to  get 
at  the  contents,  the  bedding  was  ripped  to  pieces,  and  the  clothing  belonging  to 
Nickles  and  family,  Mrs.  Bristricke,  and  several  other  boarders  at  work  in  the  stock¬ 
ades  maliciously  destroyed.  The  sleeves  of  coats  and  legs  of  trousers  were  cut  off, 
skirts  torn  apart,  furs  cut  to  pieces,  and  portions  of  all  burned  up  by  building  a  fire  in 
the  middle  of  one  of  the  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  which  burned  a  large  hole  in  the 
floor. 

To  protect  property  and  workmen,  to  keep  the  pumps  running,  and  to  load  and 
prepare  coal,  323  men  were  kept  in  stockades,  and  boarded  and  lodged.  The  greater 
number  of  these  men  did  not  get  away  from  the  stockades  for  months. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  there  were  five  cases  of  kidnaping,  many  riots,  many 
cases  of  assault  and  battery,  and  any  number  of  cases  of  intimidation. 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  141 


ANSWER  OF  G.  B.  MARKLE  &  CO. 

To  the  members  of  the  Anthracite  Strike  Commission ,  appointed  by 

the  President  of  the  United  States : 

The  firm  of  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.,  by  John  Markle,  managing  part¬ 
ner,  respectfully  submits  the  following  answer  to  the  demands  of  the 
mine  workers: 

First.  The  original  firm  of  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.  was  organized  in 
1858,  and  composed  of  George  B.  Markle,  Ario  Pardee,  J.  Gillingham 
Fell,  and  Gen.  William  Lilly.  It  has  been  renewed  from  time  to 
time,  some  of  the  partners  retiring  and  others  taking  their  places. 
Since  November,  1880,  I  have  been  in  charge,  upon  the  ground,  of 
the  mining  interests  of  the  firm,  and  have  directed  its  policy,  and  am 
immediately  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  its  business.  The  present 
firm  was  formed  on  December  30,  1889,  for  the  purpose  of  mining 
coal  upon  lands  held  by  the  firm  under  lease  from  the  Union  Improve¬ 
ment  Company,  for  thirty  years  from  January  1,  1890,  and  from  the 
Highland  Coal  Company  for  thirty  years  from  January  1,  1892.  The 
mines  are  situated  at  or  near  Jeddo,  and  the  firm  operates  the  follow¬ 
ing  collieries,  viz.,  Jeddo  No.  4,  Highland  No.  2,  and  Highland  No.  5. 
As  a  condition  of  the  last  leases,  the  lessors  insisted  that  the  Ebervale 
Mine,  which  had  been  drowned  out,  should  be  included  in  the  lease, 
and,  for  the  purpose  of  drainage,  it  was  necessary  to  construct  the 
Jeddo  Tunnel,  which  is  about  5  miles  in  length,  and  discharges  into 
the  Little  Nescopec,  in  Butler  Valley.  This  tunnel  drains  substan¬ 
tially  all  of  the  mines,  excepting  Highland  No.  2,  and  but  little  pump¬ 
ing  is  necessaiy. 

The  firm  employs  about  2,400  men,  and  many  of  its  employees 
reside  in  the  villages  of  Freeland,  about  2  miles  distant,  and  Hazle¬ 
ton,  about  7  miles  distant  from  Jeddo.  There  is  trolley  connection 
from  some  sections  of  the  property  to  Hazleton,  and  from  Jeddo  No. 
4  to  Freeland.  The  lessees  erected  and  own  all  the  improvements 
upon  the  property,  including  breakers,  stores,  shops,  and  tenement 
houses.  The  dwelling  houses  had  always  been  kept  in  ordinary  repair, 
but  after  the  renewal  of  the  leases  in  1890  and  1892,  steps  were  taken 
to  improve  their  character  and  condition.  The  houses  were  sided, 
painted,  the  roofs  renewed,  chimneys  and  cellars  built,  summer  kitchens 
erected,  and  enlargements  made  where  practicable  and  necessary  by 
reason  of  the  size  of  the  family.  The  rentals  were  not  increased, 
except  where  the  houses  were  enlarged  or  special  facilities  provided. 
Water  tanks  were  built  and  pipe  lines  laid  through  the  villages  and 
hydrants  attached.  About  1896  a  board  of  health  was  established  in 
Jeddo,  and  the  general  outside  superintendent  of  the  firm  was  appointed 
deputy  health  inspector,  and  every  necessary  precaution  taken. 

Second.  From  the  time  of  my  first  connection  with  the  business,  in 
1880,  there  have  always  been  a  resident  physician  and  assistant  phy¬ 
sicians  upon  the  property,  down  until  recently,  with  the  exception  of  a 
short  interval.  The  firm  selected  the  head  physician,  who  chose  his 
assistants,  and  we  collected  75  cents  a  month  for  the  married  men  and 
50  cents  a  month  for  the  single  men  over  21,  and  the  amount  collected 
was  paid  over  to  the  plrysician  without  charge  or  deduction  therefor. 
This  was  in  accordance  with  the  custom  which  prevailed  universally 
at  that  time  throughout  that  mining  region.  Upon  one  occasion  some 


142  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

difficulty  arose,  and  the  firm  discontinued  making  the  collections,  but 
the  collections  were  subsequently  resumed,  and  were  continued  down 
until  the  strike,  in  May,  1902.  This  arrangement  was  not  compulsory 
upon  the  men  or  families,  and  no  deduction  was  made  from  anyone 
after  notice  to  the  contrary.  The  resident  physician  was  always  a 
competent  and  trustworthy  person,  and  commanded  a  good  practice 
outside  of  the  property.  The  only  object  which  the  firm  had  in  view 
was  to  insure  to  its  employees  the  services  of  a  competent  doctor,  and 
in  fact,,  those  who  were  temporarily  unable  to  pay,  received  the  same 
care  and  attention  as  others. 

Under  the  act  of  assembly  of  1901,  a  tax  of  25  per  cent  was  imposed 
upon  collections  for  the  company  physicians,  and  they  were  notified 
that  these  collections  would  not  be  continued,  but,  being  advised  that 
the  act  was  unconstitutional,  they  authorized  the  amount  of  the  tax  to 
be  retained,  and  the  amount  so  deducted  is  still  held,  subject  to  the 
final  disposition  of  the  supreme  court. 

At  the  request  of  the  men,  the  firm  retained  the  amount  of  the  sub¬ 
scriptions  which  had  been  agreed  upon  between  them  and  their  church, 
and  paid  the  same  over  to  the  priests,  the  latter  having  left  with  the 
clerk  a  list  of  the  names  and  the  amount  each  man  had  agreed  to  pay, 
as  the  men  thought  that  it  was  easier  to  pay  their  church  dues  in  this 
way  than  to  carry  them  to  church.  This  was  done  without  charge, 
solely  for  the  accommodation  of  the  priests  and  their  parishioners. 

In" the  early  part  of  1898  my  wife  employed,  at  her  own  expense,  a 
trained  nurse  to  look  after  the  sick,  and  later,  when  this  nurse  retired, 
another  nurse  from  St.  Luke’s  Hospital  in  Bethlehem  took  her  place, 
who  introduced  the  system  of  district  nursing  in  the  borough  of  Jeddo 
and  in  the  neighboring  villages.  As  the  results  were  highly  satisfac¬ 
tory  to  the  families  in  the  firm’s  employ,  the  firm  joined  in  the  pay¬ 
ment  of  the  expenses,  and  two  additional  nurses  were  employed,  and 
all  three  gave  their  services  to  the  families  of  the  employees  without 
charge.  These  nurses  reported  as  to  the  cases  in  which  patients  should 
be  sent  to  the  hospital  for  treatment,  and  looked  generally  after  the 
sanitary  conditions  of  the  homes  of  the  workmen.  They  were  also 
directed  to  report  as  to  all  cases  where  help  was  needed,  and  it  was 
also  the  duty  of  the  general  storekeeper  to  visit  those  who  were  reported 
to  be  in  need,  and  to  use  his  own  judgment  and  to  give  them  such  credit 
as  he  thought  proper.  J  ust  prior  to  the  strike  of  1902,  it  was  brought 
to  our  notice  that  it  was  reported  among  the  men  that  the  nurses  were 
friends  of  the  firm,  and  were  employed  to  spy  upon  the  people  and 
carry  tales  to  the  general  superintendent.  This  was  absolutely  untrue, 
but  ‘in  view  of  these  reports  and  of  the  feeling  which  then  developed, 
it  was  determined  to  give  up  the  employment  of  the  nurses,  and  they 
are  no  longer  in  service. 

Third.  Stores  for  the  sale  of  general  merchandise  and  of  miners 
supplies  have  alwa}7s  been  maintained  upon  the  property,  and  hav  e 
been  and  are  an  accommodation  to  the  men  and  their  families.  1  he 
men  have  never  been  required  to  deal  there,  and  have  always  been  paid 
on  pay  day  the  amounts  due  them  in  cash,  so  that  those  who  preferred 
to  deal  elsewhere  were  always  given  the  amounts  due  them  in  money 
on  the  day  it  was  due.  As  competitive  stores  have  always  been  main¬ 
tained  in  Hazleton  and  Freeland,  and  their  delivery  wagons  drive 
almost  daily  through  the  properties,  it  would  not  have  been  possible, 
even  i  f  it  had  been  desired,  to  charge,  on  the  average,  higher  prices 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  14& 


than  were  charged  elsewhere  for  the  same  class  of  goods;  but  in  fact, 
although  many  of  the  employees  reside  in  Hazleton  and  in  Freeland,, 
they  have  preferred  to  deal  with  the  stores  of  the  firm,  and  outside 
parties  have  also  found  it  to  their  interest  to  trade  there.  These 
stores  have  further  been  of  advantage  to  the  men,  as  it  has  been  the 
custom  to  allow  them  a  reasonable  credit  when  working  on  short  time, 
or  when  the  mines  were  closed  down.  After  the  passage  of  the  store 
bill  tax  law  of  1901,  we  discontinued  the  credit  system,  but  in  1902, 
at  the  request  of  some  of  our  employees,  we  introduced  a  credit  sys¬ 
tem  which  is  working  satisfactorily. 

Fourth.  For  some  years  the  men  have  maintained  a  funeral  fund, 
authorizing  us  to  deduct  50  cents  from  each  member  when  any  one  of 
their  number  died.  In  all  cases  of  death,  resulting  from  accident  in 
the  mines,  the  firm  contributed,  and  for  some  years  the  contribution 
has  been  $50  in  each  case,  upon  condition  that  only  the  men  in  the  par¬ 
ticular  mine  should  come  out  to  the  funeral,  and  that  they  should 
remain  at  work  until  noon  of  the  day  of  the  funeral.  Since  the  strike 
of  1900,  and  the  men  have  joined  the  United  Mine  Workers,  the  men 
have  failed  to  observe  the  condition,  but  the  firm  has  continued  to 
make  its  contribution  of  $50.  If  the  men  who  were  absolute  strangers 
to  the  deceased  would  stay  at  work,  instead  of  spending  the  day  in 
idleness,  and  devote  even  half  of  their  earnings  to  the  relief  of  the 
family,  a  sufficient  fund  would  be  provided. 

Fifth.  By  the  terms  of  the  coal  leases,  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.  are 
required  to  pay  all  the  taxes  upon  the  property.  The  taxes  paid  by 
the  coal  operators  constitute  the  largest  portion  of  the  taxes  collected 
in  the  county,  and  the  public  schools  are  well  housed  and  well  pro¬ 
vided  with  teachers  and  all  proper  appurtenances.  In  the  fall  of  1897 
a  second  teacher  was  found  to  be  necessary  in  Jeddo,  and  as  the  fund 
allotted  to  that  district  was  not  sufficient  to  support  two  teachers,  the 
firm  made  up  the  balance  of  their  salaries.  In  addition  to  the  public 
schools,  there  are  also  parish  schools  near  the  property. 

In  1890  a  house  in  the  village  of  Japan  was  leased  at  the  nominal 
rent  of  1  cent  per  day  (so  as  to  establish  the  relation  of  landlord  and 
tenant)  to  a  club  composed  of  young  men,  which  had  been  instituted 
for  educational  and  social  advancement.  In  1898  a  large  clubhouse, 
heated  by  steam,  was  built  by  the  firm  at  Japan,  and  a  similar  club¬ 
house  at'Oakdale,  which  clubhouses  were  turned  over  at  a  rental  of  1 
cent  per  day.  In  1899  dwelling  houses  for  club  purposes  were  assigned 
on  the  same  terms  in  Highland  and  Ebervale,  and  a  library  was  started 
in  the  new  Jeddo  boarding  house,  and  is  open  to  the  employees  resid¬ 
ing  in  Jeddo. 

Sixth.  The  mines  of  the  company,  except  Highland  No.  2,  are 
drained  by  the  Jeddo  tunnel  and  the  full  standard  of  fresh  air  supply, 
as  required  by  the  mining  laws  of  the  State,  has  at  all  times  been  main¬ 
tained,  and  the  regular  weekly  measurements  of  air,  as  required  by 
law,  have  been  duly  forwarded  to  the  mine  inspector  of  the  district. 
Complaints  made  have  been  investigated,  and  wherever  possible  reme¬ 
died.  Reference  may  be  made  to  the  official  reports  of  the  mine 
inspector,  and  particularly  to  the  published  report  on  page  243  of  the 
Department  of  Internal  Affairs,  Part  V,  1901,  which  gives  the  air 
measurements  as  reported  to  him.  It  must  be  obvious  to  every  per¬ 
son  of  common  sense  that  self-interest  would  always  prompt  the  mine 
owner  to  keep  the  mines  in  a  condition  of  safety,  and  the  real  value 
of  the  very  admirable  and  complete  code  of  legislation  upon  this  sub- 


144  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


ject  consists  in  the  fact  that  it  fixes  the  standard  which  the  observation 
and  experience  of  mining  experts  have  determined  to  be  reasonable 
and  proper,  as  accidents  from  explosions  were  generally  due  in  former 
years  to  lack  of  knowledge  rather  than  to  willful  neglect. 

Seventh.  From  1880,  when  1  took  charge,  down  to  1900,  except 
during  the  strikes  of  1884,  1885,  and  1887,  the  relations  existing 
between  the  firm  and  its  representatives  and  the  men  were,  with  few 
exceptions,  of  a  friendly  character.  In  1885  a  local  strike,  lasting  three 
months,  occurred,  by  reason  of  a  difficulty  with  two  of  the  miners  at 
one  of  the  collieries.  When  the  men  returned  to  work  they  signed 
an  agreement  containing  a  clause  whereby  they  and  the  firm  agreed  to 
settle  differences  that  might  arise  by  arbitration,  to  be  conducted  as 
therein  specified.  This  was  not  a  part  of  or  attached  to  any  lease,  as 
testified  b}T  James  Gallagher,  but  was  always  a  separate  and  distinct 
paper.  A"  sliding  scale  basis  of  labor  had  been  agreed  upon  in  1875, 
and  had  been  generally  in  force  from  that  time  in  the  Lehigh  region. 
The  agreement  embodied  this  sliding  scale  provision,  together  with  an 
arbitration  clause,  and  all  the  employees  signed  before  returning  to 
work.  In  1887  Mr.  Powderly,  as  president  of  the  Knights  of  Labor, 
appeared,  and  succeeded  in  inducing  our  men  to  break  the  agreement 
and  quit  work.  The  strike  lasted  six  months,  and  the  men  having 
returned  to  work  without  any  of  their  demands  having  been  granted, 
we  insisted  upon  their  signing  the  same  agreement,  and  all  of  them 
did  become  parties  to  it  before  returning  to  work  in  the  spring  of  1888. 

In  the  autumn  of  1897  a  strike  occurred  in  the  Lehigh  region,  but 
some  of  the  collieries,  in  addition  to  those  of  our  firm,  continued  at 
work.  This  was  the  strike  which  culminated  in  the  Lattimer  riots. 
Upon  September  13,  1897,  the  following  statement  was  presented  by 
a  committee: 

Jeddo,  Pa.,  September  13,  1897. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  workingmen  of  Jeddo,  held  at  the  Japan  schoolhouse  on  the 
evening  of  the  above  date,  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted: 

‘  ‘  Resolved ,  That  the  stripping  men  demand  an  increase  of  25  cents. 

11  Resolved,  That  we  demand  a  reduction  of  70  cents  per  keg  on  powder. 

“  Resolved,  That  we  demand  a  semimonthly  pay. 

11  Resolved,  That  purchasing  from  the  company’s  butcher  and  company  store  be 
optional. 

11  Resolved,  That  we  demand  a  reduction  of  $1  on  coal  per  load. 

“  Resolved,  That  men  carrying  props  over  30  yards  be  paid  75  cents  per  prop. 

11  Resolved,  That  we  be  paid  yardage  on  robbing  a  pillar,  the  same  as  in  a  breast. 

“ Resolved,  That  company  fix  chutes,  batteries,  etc.,  in  readiness  to  rob  a  breast. 

11  Resolved,  That  door  boys  be  paid  75  cents  per  day;  patchers,  $1;  single-mule 
drivers,  $1.25;  two-mule  drivers,  $1.45;  company  miners,  $2.10;  slate-picker  boys, 
beginners,  50  cents;  slate  pickers,  old  men,  $1;  jig  runners  and  those  employed 
repairing  screens,  etc.,  $1.15;  laborers,  $1.75;  3-mule  drivers,  $1.75;  bottom  hitchers, 
$2.10;  bottom  drivers  and  runners,  $1.90. 

“  Resolved,  That  platform  men  be  paid  the  same  wages  when  working  around  the 
breaker  on  idle  days  as  on  the  days  that  the  breaker  works. 

“ Resolved ,  That  the  Hungarian  board  bills  be  not  collected  through  the  office. 

“  Resolved,  That  the  men  who  came  out  to  attend  the  funerals  of  the  men  who  met 
death  at  Lattimer  the  10th  instant,  be  not  discharged. 

11  Resolved,  That  we  give  the  company  ten  days’  notice  from  date.” 

Committee. 

On  September  22,  1897,  the  following  answer  was  made: 

(Copy.) 

Jeddo,  Pa.,  September  22,  1897. 

To  the  Committee: 

One  of  the  conditions  of  the  agreement  between  our  employees  and  ourselves  stip¬ 
ulates  that  under  no  consideration  will  they  enter  into  a  strike  but  that  any  difficul- 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  145 


ties  they  mav  have  with  us  are  to  be  settled  by  arbitration.  Our  answers  to  your 
resolutions  submitted  under  date  of  September  13  are,  therefore,  upon  request  bom 

you  subject  to  arbitration.  _  .  .  . 

1.  You  ask:  That  door  boys  be  paid  75  cents  per  day;  patchers,  $1;  single-mule 
drivers,  $1.25;  two-mule  drivers,  $1.45;  three-mule  drivers,  $1.75;  company  miners, 
$2.10;  laborers,  $1.75;  bottom  hitchers,  $2.10;  bottom  drivers  and  runners,  $1.90. 

Our  answer  is:  Under  the  agreement  between  us  the  wages  of  the  above  classes  of 
labor  are  on  the  Lehigh  sliding  scale  basis,  in  accordance  with  which  we  are  now 

^2.  You  ask:  That  men  carrying  props  over  30  yards  be  paid  75  cents  per  prop; 
that  you  be  paid  yardage  in  robbing  a  pillar  the  same  as  in  a  breast;  that  the  com¬ 
pany  fix  chutes,  batteries  etc.  in  readiness  to  rob  breasts. 

Our  answer  is:  We  can  not  change  our  present  system. 

3.  You  ask:  That  stripping  men  be  paid  an  increase  of  25  cents;  that  slate  picker 
bovs,  beginners,  be  paid  50  cents  per  day;  that  slate  pickers,  old  men,  be  paid $1  per 
day-  that  jig  runners  and  those  employed  repairing  screens  be  paid  $1.15  per  day. 

Our  answer  is:  For  this  and  all  other  classes  of  labor  in  and  around  the  breaker  or 
elsewhere  we  will  pay  the  average  wages  of  the  Lehigh  region. 

4.  You  ask:  A  reduction  of  70  cents  per  keg  on  powder  and  a  reduction  ol  $1  per 

load  on  coal.  .  .  ,  ....  ,  , 

Our  answer  is  t  No  change  in  the  price  of  coal  or  of  powder  will  be  made. 

5.  You  ask:  For  semimonthly  pay.  .  T  ,  1QftQ  -AnA 

Our  answer  is:  Our  notice  to  our  men  under  date  of  July  13,  1893, ^provided 

“Payments  semimonthly  will  be  made  to  such  employees  as  demand  it. 

Accordingly,  those  desiring  their  pay  semimonthly  will  give  notice  at  our  omce. 

6.  You  ask  :  That  purchasing  from  the  company’s  butcher  and  company  store  be 

01  Our  Answer  ^  .  purchasing  from  the  company  butcher  and  company  store  has 

alwavs  been  and  is  optional.  ,  ,, 

7.  You  ask :  That  platform  men  be  paid  the  same  wages  when  working  around  the 

breaker  on  idle  days  as  on  the  days  the  breaker  works.  ...  , 

Our  answer  is :  Different  occupations  command  different  wages  and  men  will  be 
paid  according  to  the  class  of  work  at  which  they  are  employed. 

8  You  ask :  That  Hungarian  board  bills  be  not  collected  through  the  omce. 

Our  answer  is  :  It  is  our  rule  that  board  shall  be  collected  through  the  office.  We 

can  not  make  any  exceptions.  .  .  ,  ,, 

9.  You  ask  :  That  the  men  who  came  out  to  attend  the  funerals  of  the  men  who 
met  death  at  Lattimer  on  the  10th  instant  be  not  discharged. 

Our  answer  is  c  No  men  wTill  be  discharged,  for  the  abo\e  cause. 


No  further  communication  was  received  from  the  men,  and  without 
asking  for  the  arbitration  which  was  tendered,  they  continued  at  work, 
without  further  interruption,  until  the  year  1900.  ^  Curing  the  latter 
part  of  that  year  a  strike  was  ordered  by  the  United  Mine  Workers, 
which  benan  in  the  northern  coal  field,  and  subsequently,  with  tew 
exceptions,  the  men  throughout  the  entire  anthracite  field  came  out. 

United  Mine  Workers  came  to  our  property  on  a  Sunday  afternoon 
in  September,  1900,  with  a  band  of  music  and  endeavored  to  gather 
our  men  together  to  talk  to  them  and  urge  them  to  become  members 
of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America.  The  great  majority  ol  our 
men  paid  no  attention  to  these  agitators,  but  they  had  a  meeting  and 
selected  a  committee,  who  prepared  a  set  of  grievances  and  submitted 
the  same,  and  gave  us  ten  days  in  which  to  answer  stating  that  they 
would  continue  to  work.  Meanwhile,  John  Mitchell  made  his  head¬ 
quarters  at  Hazleton,  and  made  strenuous  efforts  to  coax  or  coerce  our 

men  into  joining  the  United  Mine  W  orkers. 

Upon  the  14th  day  of  September,  1900,  a  committee  appeared  and 

presented  the  following  statement  of  grievances: 


(Copy.) 


wem 


Jeddo,  Pa.,  September  14,  1900. 

U  a  meeting  held  bv  the  employees  of  G.  B.  M.  &  Co.,  the  following  grievances 
c  adopted  to  place  before  you  for  consideration  by  the  following  men— James  Bot- 


S.  Doc.  6 - 10 


146  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


toms,  Theodore  Wackley,  Thos.  Boyle,  Thos.  Elliott,  George  Sweet,  Frank  Ray, 
Henry  Shovlin,  David  Renshaw,  John  Brannigan. 

“  Grievance  No.  1.  That  we  receive  our  pay  every  two  weeks. 

“  No.  2.  That  the  drivers  be  paid  every  hour  they  work. 

“No.  3.  That  all  miners  robbing  receive  pay  for  all  dead  work. 

“No.  4.  That  when  the  slope  is  in  condition  to  hoist,  that  all  men  waiting  to  get 
up  should  be  hoisted  at  once. 

“5.  That  the  powder  be  reduced  to  as  low  a  figure  as  possible. 

“6.  That  for  every  prop  over  6  feet  75  cents  shall  be  paid,  and  all  props  under  6 
feet  50  cents  shall  be  paid. 

“No.  7.  That  all  engineers  be  paid  by  the  hour  at  the  same  price  as  at  present. 

“No.  8.  That  a  tool  and  powder  car  be  placed  at  every  slope  in  the  morning,  and 
at  4  o’clock,  for  to  take  the  same  down  and  up. 

“No.  9.  That  the  powder  be  delivered  at  No.  1  Highland,  instead  of  having  to  carry 
it  from  No.  2,  and  that  a  powder  house  be  placed  at  the  east  end  for  the  contract 
miners. 

“No.  10.  That  any  employees  getting  $1.50  per  day  be  advanced  5  per  cent  and 
under  that  figure  be  advance  10  per  cent. 

11  Resolved,  That  we  give  you  ten  days  for  to  consider  the  same  and  we  to  remain  at 
work  in  the  meantime.  ’  ’ 

I  commended  them  for  dealing  directly  with  the  firm,  and  assured 
them  that  if  our  answer  was  not  satisfactory,  we  would  submit  to  arbi¬ 
tration.  Pending  our  reply,  our  men  were  told  by  agents  of  the 
United  Mine  Workers  that  we  would  not  keep  our  agreement,  and  1 
was  informed  that  John  Mitchell  had  argued  that  we  were  not  sincere 
in  offering  to  submit  to  arbitration.  Father  Phillips  (now  deceased), 
a  priest  who  had  been  long  stationed  at  Hazleton,  and  with  whom  I 
had  held  no  communication  for  years,  asked  me  if  I  would  agree  to 
accept  Archbishop  Ryan  as  a  third  arbitrator,  if  it  met  with  the 
approval  of  the  employees,  as  the  statement  had  been  made  that  no 
third  arbitrator  could  or  would  be  agreed  upon.  I  answered,  4 4  U nques- 
tionably;  if  our  employees  are  satisfied,  I  will  very  gladly  accept  so 
eminent  a  man  as  Archbishop  Ryan  for  the  third  arbitrator.” 

Some  of  the  committee  had  asked  me  if  I  would  be  willing  to  meet 
all  of  our  employees  and  make  the  same  statement  to  them  which  I 
had  made  to  the  committee,  to  which  1  agreed,  and  a  meeting  was 
called  for  September  19, 1900,  at  4  o’clock,  at  the  schoolhouse  at  Japan, 
for  the  purpose  of  hearing  my  statement,  and  Father  Phillips  was  also 
asked  to  be  present. 

The  notice  issued  by  the  employees  for  the  meeting  appeared  in  the 
newspapers,  giving  the  locality,  and  when  I  arrived  at  the  meeting  a 
large  audience  had  already  assembled,  and  John  Mitchell  was  address¬ 
ing  them.  Some  of  our  men  wanted  to  know  whether  they  should  not 
throw  him  off  the  platform.  1  replied, 4 4  No,  men;  be  patient  and  hear 
what  he  has  to  say.”  In  the  course  of  his  speech  John  Mitchell  said 
substantially  and  in  pleading  tones:  44 1  ask  you,  for  the  sake  of  your 
downtrodden  and  struggling  fellow- workmen,  who  do  not  enjoy  such 
advantages  as  you  possess,  to  go  on  strike  and  to  help  win  their  battle. 
The  few  must  suffer  for  the  many.” 

When  he  had  finished,  one  of  his  attendants  moved  an  adjournment, 
but  our  men  refused  to  leave,  and  gave  me  a  respectful  hearing.  I 
said  to  them  that  if  there  was  any  question  as  to  whether  or  not  we 
were  sincere  in  our  arbitration  agreement,  this  was  their  opportunity 
to  test  us.  Father  Phillips  followed  me,  telling  the  story  of  his  inter¬ 
view  with  me,  and  cautioned  them  against  breaking  the  solemn  con¬ 
tract  they  had  made  with  the  firm,  which  contract  the  firm  was  loyally 
keeping.  In  substance,  he  said  that  the  greatest  blow  they  could  give 
organized  labor  would  be  the  breaking  of  this  arbitration  agreement. 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  147 

A  report  of  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  which  appeared  in  the 
Public  Ledger  of  September  20, 1900,  is  appended  hereto. 

Our  men  determined  to  continue  at  work,  and  on  September  24, 
1900,  we  made  the  following  reply  to  their  statement  of  grievances: 

(Copy.) 

Jeddo,  Pa.,  September  24,  1900. 

Messrs.  James  Bottom,  Thos.  Elliott,  Henry  Shovelin,  Theodore  Wackley, 

George  Sweet,  David  Renshaw,  Thomas  Boyle,  Frank  Ray,  John  Brannigan, 

Committee  of  the  Employees  of  G.  B.  Marble  &  Co. 

Men:  Believing  that  arbitration  was  the  proper  method  of  settling  all  differences 
between  employers  and  employees,  as  far  back  as  1885  an  arbitration  clause  was 
embodied  in  the  agreement  with  our  men  which  is  as  follows: 

“  We  further  agree  that  under  no  consideration  will  we  enter  into  a  strike.  Amy 
difficulties  we  may  have  with  our  employers  are  to  be  settled  by  arbitration,  viz. : 
by  our  choosing  a  competent  man  and  their  choosing  one,  and  if  these  two  men  can 
not  agree,  these  two  must  choose  the  third,  and  their  decision,  or  a  decision  of  a 
majority  of  them  to  be  binding.  It  is  further  agreed  that  we  will  not  be  governed 
by  any  labor  association  in  settling  any  difficulties  while  in  the  employment  of  G. 
B.  Markle  &  Co.” 

At  this  time,  when  the  answers  to  your  grievances  are  due,  we  find  a  number  of 
men  absent  from  work.  Of  these,  some  advise  us  they  are  restrained  from  working 
through  fear,  while  others,  we  know,  have  allied  themselves  with  labor  organiza¬ 
tions.  Under  these  circumstances,  we  could,  wTe  believe,  in  perfect  good  faith, 
announce  that  our  arbitration  agreement  was  at  an  end,  but  we  do  not  feel  that  men 
who  regard  their  pledges  as  sacred  should  be  dishonored  through  breach  of  faith  by 
others.  Our  answrers  to  the  grievances  are  given  with  the  understanding  that  only 
those  who  are  working  to-day  have  the  right  to  act  upon  them  and  writh  the  further 
understanding  that  their  action  shall  be  binding  upon  us.  Those  identified  with 
labor  organizations  having  by  that  affiliation  disqualified  themselves  from  acting 
under  our  arbitration  agreement,  are  not  entitled  to  vote.  Those  wrho  are  deterred 
from  work  by  conditions  for  which  we  are  not  responsible  must  be  considered  as  in 
a  state  of  voluntary  s  ispension,  and  their  votes  also  must  be  excluded. 

It  is  our  earnest  endeavor  to  advance  the  welfare  of  our  employees  wherever  pos¬ 
sible.  This  course,  we  believe,  we  have  followed  in  the  past  and  we  assure  you  the 
past  can  be  regarded  as  a  precedent  for  the  future. 

The  question  having  arisen  as  to  the  possibility  of  failure  on  the  part  of  the  two 
arbitrators  chosen  under  our  mutual  contract,  to  agree  on  the  third  arbitrator,  we 
have  expressed  our  willingness,  which  we  again  confirm,  that,  if  they  can  not  agree, 
Archbishop  Ryan,  of  Philadelphia,  if  agreeable  to  you,  shall  act.in  that  capacity. 
We  also  agree  that  if  any  changes  be  made  as  the  result  of  arbitration,  they  shall  be 
effective  as  of  date  September  15,  1900,  that  being  the  date  upon  which  the  commit¬ 
tee  waited  upon  us.  # 

Our  answers  to  your  grievances  are  hereinafter  set  forth  in  the  order  of  their 

submission. 

Grievance  No.  1.— “That  we  receive  our  pay  every  two  weeks.” 

Our  answer  is:  In  1897,  when  you  submitted  a  list  of  grievances,  among  others  ask¬ 
ing  for  a  return  to  semimonthly  pay,  we  answered  by  stating  that  at  the  time  of  our 
resuming  monthly  payments,  viz,  July,  1893,  we  posted  notices  on  our  bulletin  boards 
advising  you  that  all  who  desired  to  be  paid  semimonthly  should  give  notice  at  our 
pay  window  and  they  would  be  paid  accordingly.  We  found  while  we  were  paying 
semimonthly  that  many  of  our  employees  did  not  call  for  their  wages  on  the  pay  day 
covering  the  first  half  of  the  month  and  this  became  so  general  we  abandoned  the 
system.  We  have  also  found  that  many  of  the  wives  of  our  men  preferred  monthly 
payment  and  also  some  men  who  said  when  they  received  their  payments  monthly, 
being  larger  sums  than  if  received  semimonthly,  they  were  more  inclined  to  save. 
Our  experience  has  been  that  after  pay  day  some  of  our  men  have  been  absent  from 
work  and  when  asked  the  reason  frankly  confessed  they  had  been  drinking  too  much. 
From  July,  1893,  up  to  the  present  time,  with  the  exception  of  the  grievance  filed  in 
1897,  no  request  has  been  preferred  by  any  of  our  employees  for  semimonthly  pay. 
The  question  therefore  arises  is  it  to  the  benefit  of  all  to  have  semiihonthly  payments? 
If,  after  mature  deliberation,  you  decide  it  is,  we  will  resume  semimonthly  pay¬ 
ments  for  all  our  employees. 

Grievance  No.  2. — “That  the  drivers  be  paid  every  hour  they  work.” 

Our  answer  is:  The  rate  of  wages  paid  to  drivers  in  vogue  on  this  property  for  years 
is  based  upon  service  from  7  a,  m.  to  6  p.  m.,  in  addition  to  the  harnessing  of  their 


148  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


mules  in  the  morning  and  the  unharnessing  and  return  of  them  to  the  stable  at  night. 
It  has  also  been  our  custom,  and  we  believe  this  happens  a  large  majority  of  the 
time,  that  the  drivers  are  through  with  their  work  at  5  o’clock,  or  shortly  after,  in 
which  case  they  have  been  considered  as  working  a  full  day  and  have  received  full 
compensation. 

Grievance  No.  3. — “That  all  miners  robbing  receive  pay  for  all  dead  wTork.” 

Our  answer  is:  As  explained  to  us  this  grievance  refers  to  buggy  roads;  the  rule 
applicable  to  buggy  roads  in  breasts  will  be  applied  to.  robbing. 

Grievance  No.  4. — “That  when  the  slope  is  in  condition  to  hoist,  that  all  men  wait¬ 
ing  to  get  up  should  be  hoisted  at  once.” 

Our  answer  is:  It  is  explained  to  us  that  this  grievance  refers  particularly  to  the 
use  of  the  slope  on  idle  days  and  when  the  men  who  have.been  engaged  in  repairing 
the  slope  have  left  their  work  temporarily  or  else  have  finished  their  work  and  have 
failed  to  release  the  car.  This  will  be  remedied. 

Grievance  No.  5.— “That  the  powder  be  reduced  to  as  low  a  figure  as  possible.” 

Our  answer  is:  As  the  price  we  are  now  charging,  viz.,  $2.70  per  keg,  appears  to 
you  to  be  excessive  we  ask  arbitration  so  that  this  question  may  be  finally  settled. 

Grievance  No.  6. — “That  for  every  prop  over  6  feet,  75  cents  shall  be  paid,  and  all 
props  under  6  feet,  50  cents  shall  be  paid.” 

Our  answer  is:  Our  attention,  a  few  days  before  the  submitting  of  your  grievances, 
was  directed  to  this  matter  and  we  had  arranged  to  make  the  following  prices, 
effective  from  September  1,  at  all  our  collieries: — 

Props  8  feet  and  under  25  cents.  Props  12  feet  and  over  8  feet,  39  cents.  Props 
over  12  feet,  64  cents. 

Grievance  No.  7.— “That  all  engineers  be  paid  by  the  hour  at  the  same  price  as  at 
present.” 

Our  answer  is:  Engineers  have  alwrays  been  paid  by  the  month  and  are  employed 
during  idle  time  upon  repair  or  other  work  and  when  we  are  working  short  days,  as 
is  frequently  the  case,  they  have  rendered  less  than  ten  hours’  service.  In  general, 
however,  we  desire  to  say  that  engineers  are  employed  by  the  month  and  their  occu¬ 
pation  implies  they  must  give  attention  to  their  engines  outside  of  hauling  coal  and 
empty  cars.  We  believe  the  present  rule  should  be  continued. 

Grievance  No.  8. — “That  a  tool  and  powder  car  be  placed  at  every  slope  in  the 
morning,  and  at  4  o’clock  for  to  take  the  same  down  and  up.” 

Our  answer  is:  It  is  a  rule  of  this  company  that  under  no  consideration  should 
dynamite  be  lowered  into  the  mines  unless  in  a  separate  car  provided  for  that  pur¬ 
pose.  If  this  refers  to  black  powder  we  will  be  glad  to  take,  up  the  matter  with  our 
miners  at  our  various  slopes  and  arrange  a  plan  to  meet  their  views  if  possible.  In 
reference  to  tools  we  have  had  so  much  trouble  and  complaints  from  our  miners  los¬ 
ing  tools  in  and  about  the  mines  that  if  you  can  suggest  a  feasible  plan  which  will 
overcome  these  difficulties  we  shall  be  very  glad,  indeed,  to  comply  with  your  request. 

Grievance  No.  9. — “That  the  powder  be  delivered  at  No.  1  Highland  instead  of  hav¬ 
ing  to  carry  it  from  No.  2,  and  that  a  powder  house  be  placed  at  the  east  end  for  the 
contract  miners.  ’  ’ 

Our  answer  is:  We  will  arrange  to  erect  a  powder  house  at  Highland  No.  1  as  soon 
as  possible.  As  to  the  powder  house  at  the  east  end,  and  we  understand  that  by  the 
“east  end”  is  meant  the  east  end  of  Jeddo  No.  4  Basin,  we  will  arrange  to  erect  a 
powder  house  at  this  point  to  accommodate  our  men. 

Grievance  No.  10. — “That  any  employees  getting  $1.50  per  day  be  advanced  5  per 
cent  and  under  that  figure  be  advanced  10  per  cent.” 

Our  answer  is:  W e  understand  by  this  grievance  that  you  request  that  any  employees 
receiving  $1.50  per  day  be  advanced  5  per  cent  and  under  that  figure  10  per  cent. 
The  sliding  scale  which  is  embodied  in  our  agreement,  has  governed  wages  since  its 
adoption,  and,  notwithstanding  increased  cost  in  the  production  and  preparation .  of 
coal,  has  remained  the  same.  In  times  past  we  have  heard  little,  if  any,  complaint 
of  the  rates  of  wages,  but  rather,  of  the  number  of  days  worked  each  month.  Dur¬ 
ing  1899  and  thus  far  this  year  the  number  of  days  worked  largely  exceed  previous 
years  and  reference  to  our  pay  rolls  and  the  earnings  of  our  men,  to  our  minds, 
justify  the  basis  on  which  our  men  have  been  paid.  Since  December,  1899,  there 
has  been  an  advance  of  6  per  cent  on  the  basis  and  since  February  1, 1900,  the  rates  of 
wages  paid  our  men  have  been  higher  than  at  any  time  since  January  1,  1885.  We 
can  not  grant  the  request. 

In  conclusion:  We  desire  to  state  that  we  will  be  glad  to  have  an  expression  of 
your  final  deliberations  on  these  answers  that  are  herewith  submitted  so  that  no 
delay  will  occur  in  taking  those  questions  to  arbitration  that  you  so  desire  and 
getting  a  decision  at  an  early  date  as  possible. 

Yours  truly,  Jno.  Markle, 

Managing  Partner. 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  149 

Upon  September  26,  1900,  we  received  the  following  answer: 

(Copy.) 

Jeddo,  Pa.,  September  36,  1900. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  employees  of  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.,  the  following  business  was 
transacted.  Wm.  Butler  was  nominated  and  elected  chairman,  and  Andrew  Oliver 
as  secretary.  The  answer  of  Markle  &  Co.  was  read  and  acted  upon. 

Grievance  No.  1.  The  men  want  semi-monthly  pay. 

No.  2.  We  want  arbitration. 

No.  3.  We  want  arbitration. 

No.  4.  Accepted. 

No.  5.  Arbitration. 

No.  6.  Arbitration. 

No.  7.  Accepted. 

No.  8.  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  settle  the  question. 

No.  9.  Accepted. 

No.  10.  Arbitration.  _  . 

On  motion  that  Highland  No.  5  and  Jeddo  No.  4,  No.  1  and  2  Highland  be  unani¬ 
mous  on  settling  by  arbitration.  t  .  . 

The  motion  was  carried  unanimously  that  the  committee  should  select  the  arbi- 

trS/tor 

On  motion  that  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.,  deduct  from  the  pay  of  each  family  that 
return  to.work  their  quota  for  the  payment  of  the  arbitrator  selected  by  the  men. 
Motion  carried. 

That  the  arbitrators  settle  these  grievances  as  soon  as  possible. 

Andrew  Oliver,  Secretary. 
Wm.  Butler,  President.  . 

The  committee  agreed  at  the  meeting  that  all  will  work  on,  if  not  the  agreement 
is  broken.  jjy.  Deisenroth,  and  Others. 

As  a  result  we  told  the  committee  to  proceed  to  the  selection  of  an 
arbitrator,  but  it  appeared  that  they  were  unable  to  find  one  satisfac¬ 
tory  to  themselves,  and  our  men  gradually  stopped  working,  until,  on 
September  29,  1900,  the  committee  appeared,  and  after  discussing  the 
question,  made  the  following  report: 

^  Jeddo,  Pa.,  September  39,  1900. 

We  the  undersigned  committee  of  employees  of  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.,  appointed  to 
arrange  for  arbitration  under  the  agreement  between  the  company  and  the  men  do 

report  that  the  agreement  is  broken  by  the  employees. 

1  Ed.  Winwood,  and  Others. 

Immediately  thereafter  the  following  notice  was  posted  on  our 
bulletin  boards: 

(Copy.) 

notice  to  employees  of  g.  b.  markle  &  CO. 

Jeddo,  Pa.,  September  39,  1900. 

The  following  report  has  been  received: 

Jeddo,  Pa.,  September  39,  1900. 

We,  the  undersigned,  committee  of  employees  of  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.,  appointed 
to  arrange  for  arbitration  under  the  agreement  between  the  company  and  the  men 
do  report  that  the  agreement  is  broken  by  the  employees. 

Ed.  Winwood,  and  Others. 

In  accordance  therewith  we  announce  the  contract  heretofore  existing  between 

our  employees  and  ourselves  is  at  an  end.  ^  ,  £ 

We  will  start  up  all  our  collieries  on  Monday,  October  1,  and  afford  any  of  our 
employees  an  opportunity  to  work  so  long  as  our  collieries  are  sufficiently  manned 

to  operate  them  to  our  satisfaction.  _ 

The  present  rate  of  wages  will  continue  until  further  notice. 

Jno.  Markle, 

Managing  Partner. 


150  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

We  continued  to  work  with  a  reduced  force,  but  were  obliged  to 
protect  our  men  by  the  employment  of  deputy  policemen. 

Upon  the  27th  of  October,  1900,  the  committee  came  to  us  with  the 
following  request: 

(Copy.) 


Jeddo,  Pa.,  October  87,  1900. 

We,  a  committee  of  the  employees  of  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.,  hereby  ask  your  favor¬ 
able  consideration  of  the  following  changes  in  wages  and  powder  prices: 

(1. )  We  ask  that  you  adjust  the  rates  of  wages  so  as  to  pay  the  contract  miners  on 
and  after  October  29,  1900,  a  net  increase  of  10  per  cent  on  the  wages  paid  in  the 
month  of  September,  1900. 

In  adjusting  the  above  wages  we  ask  that  black  powder  be  sold  the  miners  for  $1.50 
per  keg  and  that  the  difference  between  this  rate  and  the  old  rate  of  powder  shall  be 
taken  into  the  question  in  figuring  the  advance  of  10  per  cent  noted  above  for  this 
class  of  labor. 

(2.)  To  all  day,  weekly  and  monthly  men  in  and  about  the  collieries  you  will  pay 
an  increase  of  10  per  cent  over  the  rate  of  wages  paid  in  the  month  of  September, 
1900. 

(3.)  You  will  abolish  the  sliding  scale  heretofore  used  in  calculating  our  wages. 

(4.)  You  will  agree  that  the  above  wages  and  powder  price  will  remain  in  force 
until  April  1,  1901. 

(5.)  You  will  take  up  with  your  employees  any  grievances  which  they  may  here¬ 
after  submit. 

To  this  we  answered  as  follows: 

Jeddo,  Pa.,  October  87,  1900. 

Messrs.  Charles  Helferty,  Thomas  Gallagher,  Patrick  Kennedy,  George  You- 

rich,  Wm.  Weskevch,  Peter  J.  Gallagher,  Thomas  Gallagher,  Committee. 

Men:  We  beg  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  the  following  written  requests: 

“Jeddo,  Pa.,  October  87,  1900. 

“We,  a  committee  of  the  employees  of  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.,  hereby  ask  your  favor¬ 
able  consideration  of  the  following  changes  in  wages  and  powder  prices: 

“  (1. )  We  ask  that  you  adjust  the  rates  of  wages  so  as  to  pay  the  contract  miners 
on  and  after  October  2,  1900,  a  net  increase  of  10  per  cent  on  the  wages  paid  in  the 
month  of  September,  1900. 

“In  adjusting  the  above  wages  we  ask  that  black  powder  be  sold  the  miners  for 
$1.50  per  keg  and  that  the  difference  between  this  rate  and  the  old  rate  of  powder 
shall  be  taken  into  the  question  in  figuring  the  advance  of  10  per  cent  noted  above 
for  this  class  of  labor. 

“  (2.)  To  all  day,  weekly  and  monthly  men  in  and  about  the  collieries  you  will 
pay  an  increase  of  10  per  cent  over  the  rate  of  wages  paid  in  the  month  of  September, 
1900. 

“  (3.)  You  will  abolish  the  sliding  scale  heretofore  used  in  calculating  our  wages. 

“(4.)  You  will  agree  that  the  above  wages  and  powder  price  will  remain  in  force 
until  April  1,  1901. 

“(5. )  You  will  take  up  with  your  employees  any  grievances  which  they  may  here¬ 
after  submit.” 

In  reply  we  desire  to  state  that  we  hereby  grant  all  the  above  requests. 

Jno.  Markle, 

Managing  Partner. 

In  pursuance  of  the  settlement  thus  made,  work  was  resumed  Octo¬ 
ber  29, 1900,  and  shortly  thereafter  our  men  generally  were  bullied  or 
cajoled  into  joining  the  United  Mine  Workers. 

Eighth.  From  that  time  until  the  strike  was  ordered  in  May  last, 
the  conditions  of  labor  in  our  mines  were  altogether  unsatisfactory. 
Some  men  who  were  by  nature  discontented  and  insubordinate  were 
always  engaged  in  trying  to  make  trouble  and  to  stir  up  dissatisfaction 
and  disobedience,  and  the  old  relations  of  confidence  and  friendship 
which  had  existed  between  the  men  and  the  officials  in  charge  of  the 
business  and  the  miners  were  to  a  great  extent  destroyed.  This  has 


APPENDIX  A.~ THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  151 

been  a  most  serious  injury  to  the  men  themselves,  as  the  influence  of 
the  union  tends  to  induce  them  to  regard  themselves  in  an  attitude  of 
antagonism  to  their  employers  and  to  root  out  any  sense  of  a  common 
interest  in  the  business,  thus  making  them  disaffected  and  hostile,  and 
depriving  them  of  any  interest  in  their  work  for  the  work  s  sake. 
What  they  do  becomes  in  this  way  a  disagreeable  task,  which  is  only 
performed  unwillingly  for  the  wages  to  be  received.  Nothing  could 
do  more  to  deprive  our  men  of  any  sense  of  satisfaction  in  their  work, 
and  in  this  state  of  mind  it  is  easy  for  the  union  officials  to  persuade 
them  that  they  are  very  badly  abused.  Assuming  that  these  officials 
are  men  of  the  average  sort,  and  even  superior  to  the  common  run  of 
politicians  as  portrayed  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day,  they  are  always 
subject  to  the  temptation  that  in  order  to  show  a  reason  for  the  exist¬ 
ence  of  the  union  and  the  payment  of  dues,  they  must  be  doing  some¬ 
thing,  and  it  is  by  keeping  the  men  stirred  up  and  discontented  and 
excited  that  they  can  best  retain  their  hold  upon  them.  Whether  they 
did,  in  reality  yield  to  these  considerations  I  can  not  assert  as  a  fact, 
but  it  is  true  that  our  men  were  less  efficient,  more  given  to  grum¬ 
bling,  and  more  insubordinate  and  regardless  of  their  duty  after  1900 
than  ever  before.  It  was  not  uncommon,  when  an  order  was  given  by 
a  mine  boss,  that  it  should  be  disobeyed.  As  a  rule,  the  men  worked 
less  hours  and  produced  less  coal  when  they  were  working  than  before 
the  increase  in  wages. 

Between  1900  and  1902  many  requests  were  made  for  the  correction 
of  alleged  grievances,  which  were  all  taken  up  and  considered  and 
acted  upon;  but  neither  individually  nor  collectively,  orally  or  in 
writing,  did  the  men  make  any  complaint  in  reference  to  the  method 
of  collecting  the  dues  for  the  doctors  or  the  priests;  nor  was  our  atten¬ 
tion  called  to  any  defect  in  respect  to  ventilation;  or  unfair  treatment 
at  the  store;  nor  as  to  the  size  of  the  cars;  nor  as  to  the  slope  cleaning; 
or  the  docking,  until  April,  1902;  and  we  had  every  reason  to  believe 
that,  taken  as  a  whole,  the  men  were  entirely  satisfied  with  the  condi¬ 
tions  of  their  employment.  It  may  be  worth  mentioning  that  the  esti¬ 
mate  given  of  the  amounts  of  the  slope  cleanings  was  absurdly  exag¬ 
gerated,  as  an  examination  of  the  records  shows  that  it  averages  less 
than  1  car  in  300  hoisted. 

The  mining  law  of  the  State,  and  the  ruling  of  the  inspectors,  make 
miners  responsible  for  the  safety  of  their  laborers,  and  we  endeavored 
to  insist  that  they  should  remain  in  the  breasts  until  5  o’clock,  unless 
excused.  From  the  middle  of  1900  down  to  the  beginning  of  the  last 
strike,  we  were  unable  to  compel  obedience  to  this  rule,  and  contract 
miners  left  the  mines  when  they  saw  fit,  often  leaving  their  laborers 
behind  them. 

Ninth.  In  the  course  of  the  hearings  at  Scranton,  complaint  was 
made  of  the  size  of  the  cars,  but  in  reality  the  size  has  not  been 
changed,  as  will  be  proved  by  the  testimony  of  the  builders,  who  will 
be  produced.  It  was  also  alleged  that  the  docking  was  excessive,  but 
the  accountant  will  testify  that  it  was  less  than  2  per  cent.  Objection 
was  also  made  that  the  full  10  per  cent  advance  was  not  given.  The 
manner  in  which  this  advance  was  computed  was  repeatedly  explained 
to  the  men,  and  it  will  be  shown  by  the  expert  accountant  that  it  was 
correctly  calculated. 

Tenth.  When  I  first  went  to  the  property  in  1880,  Jeddo  was  already 
connected  by  railroad  with  the  rest  of  the  country,  and  anyone  dis- 


152  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


satisfied  could  find  transportation  to  any  point  of  the  United  States. to 
which  he  desired  to  go.  It  has  been  suggested  that  it  was  the  practice 
of  the  coal  operators  to  bring  surplus  labor  into  the  region,  and  to  keep 
men  there  in  excess  of  the  number  really  required,  in  order  to  keep 
down  wages.  This  theory  must  have  been  evolved  by  some  youthful 
professor  from  the  depths  of  his  own  internal  consciousness.  At  all 
events,  nothing  of  the  kind  occurred  upon  the  property  of  our  firm. 
On  the  contrary,  during  the  time  when  we  were  only  able  to  work  u 
part  of  the  week,  owing  to  the  condition  of  the  market  or  otherwise, 
we  kept  down  the  number  of  miners,  so  that  they  could  work  as  many 
days  as  possible,  and  took  our  men  from  one  breaker  to  another,  work¬ 
ing  them  alternately.  Peter  G.  Gallagher,  in  answer  to  the  question: 
44  Did  you  work  full  time  every  month  t  ”  says  (pp.  1924-1925) :  44  W  ell, 
under  that  company  we  were  working  half  pitches,  and  we  could  work 
daj^s  that  the  breaker  would  not  work,  and  prepare  coal  for  days  which 
the  breaker  would  work..  Then,  if  we  would  get  in  a  number  of  cars, 
we  were  prepared  to  load  them  when  the  breaker  did  work.  Of  course, 
the  breaker  was  only  working  two  or  three  days  a  week,  but  we  could 
load  extra  cars  when  the  breaker  would  run.” 

During  the  year  1901  we  were  able  to  run  more  continuously  than 
in  former  years,  and  it  appears  that  in  spite  of  many  unnecessary  holi¬ 
days  that  were  taken,  contract  miners  were  able  to  make  large  earn¬ 
ings.  The  annexed  statement  shows  the  earnings  of  six  of  the  largest 
earners,  including  Frank  Ray,  who  appeared  before  the  Commission 
and  testified  at  Scranton,  and  one  of  the  men  not  taken  back.  The 
second  list  was  made  up  by  the  bookkeeper  to  show  the  contract  miners 
who  made  the  next  highest  earnings,  and  those  who  made  the  lowest 
giving  an  average  of  §826.48.  The  individual  net  earnings  of  every 
contract  miner  will  appear  on  the  statement  of  amounts  to  be  submitted. 

Eleventh.  Under  date  of  February  16,  1902,  the  men  made  the 
following  complaint: 

1 ‘ 3.  After  hearing  the  reports  of  the  different  committees  we  find  that  in  every  case 
your  bosses  are  making  statements  to  serve  their  own  interest  best,  and  as  there  is 
many  of  our  men  are  being  treated  unjustly  by  them  hiring  new  hands  in  preference 
to  the  old  employees,  which  we  believe  is  unjust,  therefore  we  respectfully  ask  that 
when  the  men  and  the  bosses  differ  in  regards  to  the  different  statements  that  the  men 
and  bosses  have  a  hearing  together  before  the  superintendent  and  the  committee.” 

On  April  18,  1902,  the  following  complaint  was  received: 

(Copy.) 

Jeddo,  Pa.,  April  18,  1902. 

Mr.  W.  H.  Smith,  Supt.  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.,  Jeddo,  Pa. 

Dear  Sir:  At  a  meeting  of  the  employees  of  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.  held  at  the  Jeddo 
schoolhouse  on  the  above  date,  we  the  undersigned  committee,  was  appointed  to 
present  the  following  grievances. 

1.  Discharged  men  for  loading  slate  in  Wharton.  It  has  been  customary  to  load 
the  bone  in  the  Wharton,  up  until  the  present  time.  We  believe  this  is  a  change  in 
the  system  of  working  those  places,  and  there  should  also  be  a  change  in  prices  for 
working  those  places  if  the  gobing  of  bone  is  to  be  insisted  upon. 

2.  Whereas,  as  there  has  been  three  men  discharged,  viz.,  Joe  Holman,  Joe. 
Leber,  and  John  Switze,  for  loading  slate,  and  as  those  men  stated  that  they  have 
cleaned  their  coal,  as  they  did  heretofore,  we  see  no  good  reasons,  why  those  men 
were  discharged,  and  we  ask  that  those  men  be  reinstated,  pending  an  investigation. 

3.  Whereas,  in  our  opinion  the  cars,  is  sufficiently  large  to  allow  over  and  above 
the  amount  of  refuse  loaded  by  the  men  to  warrant  no  dockage. 

4.  We,  the  employees  of  the  aforesaid  company,  having  been  notified  to  load  our 
cars  up  and  top  our  cars,  we  insist  on  knowing  how  much  topping  is  expected  to  be 
on  our  cars  leaving  our  places  of  work. 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  153 

5.  And  whereas,  the  following  men,  viz.,  Mike  Medvis,  Andrew  Hudock,  Bernard 
Ward  John  Demshock,  Steve  Ferris,  Mike  Whitske,  John  Eskay,  John  Rubuts, 
.John  Cosick,  Jacob  Yiasky,  Andrew  Cawarey,  Mike  Runyo,  have  been  notified,  and 
as  we  believe  that  the  third  notification  is  a  dismissal  we  ask  that  all  notifications  m 
regard  to  loading  slate,  and  light  loading  be  abolished  until  there  is  a  full  and  com¬ 
plete  investigation  made.  These  men  state  they  have  been  notified  to  load  heavier 

on  top  the  cars.  ^ 

Committee. 

To  which,  under  date  of  April  23,  1902,  we  answered  as  follows: 


(Copy.) 


Jeddo,  Pa.,  April  S3,  190S. 


Messrs.  Charles  Helferty,  Paul  Dunleavy,  Dan  Brennan,  John  Sock,  Charles 
Keenan,  A.  J.  Carlis,  Jr.,  John  M.  Gallagher,  Peter  Demon,  Committee, 

Dear  Sirs:  The  following  are  our  answers  to  your  communication  of  April  18. 

1  There  has  been  and  is  no  docking  for  bone  in  the  Wharton  vein.  If,  however, 
it  is  intended  to  include  under  the  term  bone,  the  so-called  “niggerhead,”  slate  or 
slate  interlaid  with  fine  streaks  of  coal,  these  impurities  are  docked,  as  has  heretofore 


been  our  custom.  .  , 

2.  John  Switze  was  discharged  because,  after  due  warning,  he  said  he  would  not 
clean  his  coal  any  better,  and  added,  he  didn’t  care  whether  he  worked  any  more  or 

not.  He  will  not  be  reinstated.  . 

Joe  Holman  and  Joe  Lieber,  working  partners,  had  ample  warning,  they  prom¬ 
ised  at  first  interview  to  clean  their  coal  better,  then  said  they  could  not  clean  it  bet¬ 
ter,  and  finally  said  they  would  clean  their  coal  if  they  were  given  additional  pay. 
When  discharged,  these  men  notified  us  we  would  be  sorry  and  that  they  would 
give  us  trouble.  Holman  and  Lieoer  will  not  be  reinstated. 

3.  Your  statement  that  the  cars  are  sufficiently  large  to  allow  over  and  above  the 
amount  of  refuse  loaded  by  the  men  to  warrant  no  dockage,  could  not  be  sustained. 
If  this  were  true  the  amount  of  impurities  would  only  be  limited  by  the  capacity  ot 

^  ^  Topping,”  as  we  understand  the  term,  means  the  loading  of  lumps  on  top  of 
car  by  hand.  No  such  instructions  have  been  given. 

Cars  must  reach  the  bottom  of  the  slopes  loaded  water-level  full  with  coal  properly 
cleaned.  This  has  been  the  rule  in  times  past  and  will  be  continued.  That  our 
employees  understand  this  fact  is  proven  by  past  experience  and  also  by  the  fact 
that  at  present  almost  all  the  cars  are  loaded  to  our  requirements  but  m  so  doing 
some  employees  are  loading  too  much  slate,  rock,  and  refuse.  This  last  condition 
has  much  improved  lately  at  Jeddo  No.  4,  showing  these  men  know  and  can,  if  they 

desire,  load  their  cars  properly.  .  ,  ,  .  , 

We  desire  to  avoid  docking.  To  accomplish  this,  cars  must  be  loaded  m  accord¬ 
ance  with  our  rule.  Men  failing  to  do  so,  will  be  warned  and  if  the  offense  is  con¬ 
tinued,  they  are  liable  to  discharge.  ,  j  „  ,  ,  , 

5.  Some  of  the  men  named  we  are  unable  to  locate,  but  all  men  who  have  been 
twice  notified  and  again  load  light  cars  or  cars  containing  too  much  refuse  are  subject 


to  discharge. 

Our  answer  to  the  third  paragraph  of  your  communication  of  February  16  which 

we  took  under  consideration  is —  .  . 

We  can  not  see  that  any  benefit  can  be  derived  from  adopting  the  suggestion. 
Further  we  will  exercise  our  discretion  in  the  hiring  of  men  and  any  employee 
who  fails  to  comply  with  our  rules,  who  disobeys  orders,  who  is  incompetent,  or 
who  does  not  give  a  fair  day’s  work,  must  expect  discharge. 


Yours  truly, 


G.  B.  Markle  &  Co., 


By  W.  H.  Smith,  Jr., 

General  Superintendent. 


This  state  of  affairs  existed  at  the  time  of  the  declaration  of  the 
strike,  on  May  10.  All  of  our  employees  who  were  engaged  in  and 
around  the  pumps  and  around  boilers  were  asked,  when  the  order 
came  for  them  to  cease  work  on  June  2,  if  they  would  continue  at 
their  work.  In  a  number  of  cases  we  were  assured  that  they  would 
be  glad  to  do  so,  but  felt  that  they  would  work  at  the  risk  of  their 
lives,  and  in  view  of  the  raids  made  upon  our  property  when  working 


154  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


through  the  strike  of  1900,  a  policy  of  general  inactivity  was  deter¬ 
mined  upon,  and,  taking  advantage  of  the  tunnel  which  drained  our 
No.  4  and  part  of  our  No.  5  operations,  we  concluded  to  allow  an  inside 
slope  at  our  No.  5  to  fill  up,  also  the  bottom  of  No.  5  to  fill  up  to  a 
point  where  it  would  drain  by  the  tunnel,  and  at  Highland  No.  1  and 
No.  2,  which  have  no  drainage  connection,  to  allow  the  bottom  work: 
ings  to  fill  with  water.  At  no  place  on  our  property  were  any  steam 
plants  in  operation,  save  at  the  fresh-water  plant  which  supplied  the 
fresh  water  to  the  various  villages.  All  our  bosses  and  trusted  em¬ 
ployees  who  remained  with  us  were  sworn  in  and  placed  on  duty  as 
watchmen,  so  that  our  property  was  unique  in  this  respect,  that  no 
work  of  any  kind  with  reference  to  the  pumping  of  water  or  mining 
of  coal  was  attempted,  and  no  foreign  or  imported  guards  were  em¬ 
ployed  till  October  3,  when  we  began  pumping  at  Highland  No.  2. 
Notwithstanding  this  fact,  even  the  employees  whose  sole  occupation 
was  to  protect  the  property  from  fire  or  damage  were  more  or  less 
interfered  with  and  were  asked  in  many  instances  to  stop  work.  At 
no  time  was  there  any  serious  trouble  on  our  property,  owing  to  the 
course  determined  upon  and  pursued  by  us.  The  conditions  which 
prevailed  in  the  coal  regions  generally  were  such  as  to  absolutely 
destroy  all  regard  for  law  and  order  and  practically  threatened  the 
destruction  of  all  rights  and  liberties  of  individuals.  All  1  have  said 
or  have  written  upon  this  subject  I  believe  to  be  absolutely  true. 
During  my  sojourn  at  Jeddo  I  had  information  which  led  me  to  believe 
that  many  of  the  people  who  were  then  on  strike  would  be  only  too 
glad  if  they  could  go  to  work,  but  the  fact  that  they  were  threatened 
with  bodily  harm  or  that  it  was  openly  understood  that  if  any  man 
went  to  work  to  expect  to  have  his  house  dynamited  deterred  them. 

Indeed,  we  were  informed  from  time  to  time  that  some  of  the  men 
desired  to  resume  work,  but  that  these  men  were  notified  that  if  thev 
did  so,  u They  might  as  well  order  their  coffins.”  We  believe  that 
those  warnings  were  made  seriously,  and  we  did  not  think  it  right  to 
expose  the  men  to  the  dangers  which  they  were  sure  to  encounter  if 
work  was  resumed.  The  names  of  those  who  were  most  active  in 
making  these  threats  were  communicated  in  confidence  to  us. 

Twelfth.  As  we  had  not  been  parties  to  the  correspondence  under 
which  the  Anthracite  Strike  Commission  was  appointed  and  the  strike 
declared  off,  we  were  not  willing  to  permit  our  men  to  return  to  work 
without  a  distinct  understanding  that  they  would  abide  by  the  award 
to  be  made  b}^  the  Commission.  Notice  was  accordingly  posted  that 
those  wishing  to  secure  employment  should  call  at  the  office  and  should 
bring  with  them  the  brass  checks  which  they  held.  The  notice  read 
as  follows: 

Jeddo,  Pa.,  October  22,  1902. 

All  men  desiring  to  work  for  us  are  hereby  notified  to  make  application  at  our 
office  at  Jeddo,  Pa.,  and  bring  with  them  the  brass  checks  we  had  heretofore  issued. 

G.  B.  Markle  &  Co. 

When  this  notice  was  posted,  we  were  informed  that  some  of  the 
men  objected,  upon  the  ground  that  the  men  should  be  taken  back  in 
a  body,  and  the  rumor  was  started  to  the  effect  that  they  would  be 
required  to  sign  an  ironclad  agreement,  as  a  condition  of  going  to 
work.  Many  of  the  notices  were  torn  down,  pickets  were  stationed 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  office  and  along  the  lines  of  road,  to  pre¬ 
vent  the  men  from  coming  to  the  office,  where  they  might  have  learned 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  155 

the  truth,  and  arranged  for  a  resumption  of  work.  Our  information 
was  that  the  same  men  who  had  made  the  threats  during  the  continu¬ 
ance  of  the  strike  were  the  most  active  in  the  circulation  of  these 
rumors,  the  tearing  down  of  the  notices,  and  the  attempt  to  prevent 
the  men  from  going  to  work. 

Upon  October  23,  1902.  a  committee  called  at  the  office,  about  3.45 
p.  m.  A  statement  of  the  proceedings  of  the  meeting  was  taken  down, 
and  the  material  portions  are  as  follows: 

Charles  Helferty,  Jeddo  No.  4;  Joseph  Mather,  Jeddo  No.  4;  Frank  Billman, 
Ebervale;  Ed.  Doggett,  Highland,  No.  5;  Anthony  McNelis,  Highland  No.  5;  Thomas 
Boyle  Highland  No  2.  Charles  Helferty,  chairman  of  the  committee,  asked  this 
question:  “What  is  the  meaning  of  the  notice  that  was  issued,  stating  that  we 
should  make  application  here  individually  for  work?”  I  then  fully  explained  the 
object  of  this  notice,  viz.,  that  we  were  not  parties  to  the  proposition  presented  by 
the  presidents  under  which  President  Roosevelt  appointed  the  Commission,  and  the 
action  of  the  miners’  convention  at  Wilkesbarre  would  not  necessarily  be  binding  on 
our  men  and  it  was  therefore  necessary  that  we  should .  ask  them  this  question: 
“Will  you  abide  by  the  decision  of  the  Commission  appointed  by  the  President  of 
the  United  States  under  the  conditions  set  forth  by  the  presidents  of  the  large 
coal  corporations?”  We  also  stated  that  their  answers  would  be  recorded  in  the 
employment  book,  and  in  addition  to  that  we  would  issue  a  new  brass  check,  the 
object  being  to  enable  us  to  start  with  a  lower  number,  as  the  old  brass  checks  had 
reached  such  high  numbers,  and  for  our  convenience  we  were  issuing  a  new  check, 
exchanging  the  old  for  a  new.  I  also  explained  that  the  other  questions  that  were 
asked  were  age,  nationality,  married  or  single,  residence,  where  did  you  work  last, 
did  you  ever  work  here  before?  If  so,  where  and  in  what  capacity.  In  case  ot 
minors,  the  parents’  name.  I  explained  the  reason  for  all  of  this,  first,  on  account 
of  knowing  what  men  were  here,  so  we  could  open  the  different  collieries  as  fast  as 
enough  men  reported  for  work;  and,  second,  to  have  each  one  individually  state 
that  he  would  abide  by  the  decision  of  the  Commission,  so  there  would  be  no  ques¬ 
tion  raised  about  this  hereafter,  explaining  that  no  one  need  sign;  that  this  was  only 
a  matter  of  record,  and  this  record  was  essential  in  making  our  reports  to  the  mine 
inspector  yearly,  and  for  identification  of  a  man  holding  a  certain  number  of  brass 
check.  I  also  stated  that  a  great  many  men  had  gone  away,  and  we  did  not  know 
as  they  would  ever  return,  and  therefore  we  did  not  know  what  places  we  inust  nii. 
I  stated:  “We  have  our  mules  to  shoe,  light  the  fires  at  the  different  collieries  where 
we  have  had  not  any  pumping,  all  of  which  would  have  to  be  done  before  the  men 
could  be  put  into  the  mines,  and  as  soon  as  we  had  men  enough  at  any  one  colliery 
we  would  immediately  start,”  I  also  explained  to  them  that  there  were  some  men 
on  our  property  we  were  going  to  give  very  careful  consideration  whether  we  would 
ever  employ  them  again  or  not,  stating  that  we  had  information  regarding  them 
and  if  after  investigation,  we  were  satisfied  the  information  was  correct,  we  would 
never  employ  them  again.  I  further  stated  there  would  be  no  discrimination  made 
between  union  and  nonunion  men;  that  it  makes  no  difference  to  us  whether  a  man 
belonged  to  a  union  or  not,  as  long  as  he  obeyed  our  rules  and  did  a  fair  day  s  ork. 
The  men  then  asked  whether  they  would  get  their  old  jobs  back.  I  said  all  would 
get  their  old  jobs  back  except  those  we  had  under  consideration.  They  lelt. 

On  October  24,  1902,  a  committee  appeared  at  the  office  about  10.30  a.  m.,  and  the 
chairman  stated  that  he  represented  all  of  the  employees,  and  that  the  men  had 
decided  that  they  would  only  come  back  in  a  body.  I  asked  how  many  were  pres¬ 
ent  at  the  meeting  where  that  was  agreed  upon,  and  they  said  that  the  seating  capacity 
of  the  building  was  500,  and  admitted  that  employees  of  Coxe  Brothers  &  Co.  were 
there.  They  finally  admitted  that  there  was  not  a  majority  of  our  men  at  the  meet¬ 
ing,  but  reiterated  that  the  men  wanted  to  go  back  in  a  body.  I  replied:—  > 

“Well  you  can’t.  There  have  been  a  good  many  reports  spread  about  this  mat¬ 
ter  and  ironclad  agreements,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  that  are  an  absolute  set  of 
lies  I  want  to  be  fair  to  you  men,  and  I  expect  you  want  to  be  as  fair  to  me;  a 
majority  of  the  men,  at  least.  Threats  have  been  made,  intimidations  have  been 
going  on;  men  have  been  denied  the  privilege  of  working  when  and  where  they 
please.  Do  you  think  I  am  going  to  allow  this  on  this  property  any  more?  You 
stopped  of  your  own  accord,  but  I  am  going  to  have  something  to  say  when  you 
start.  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  abide  by  the  result  of  the  decision  of  the  Commis¬ 
sion,  and  absolutely  all  I  ask  of  you  is,  Will  you  individually  abide  by  it,  I  wil  say 
to  you  frankly  there  are  certain  men  who  will  not  be  reemployed,  but  1  want  it 
thoroughly  understood  that  it  is  not  because  he  is  a  United  Mine  M  oikei,  but  wholly 


156  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


on  account  of  his  personality — his  personal  acts.  No  more  intimidation,  no  more 
threats,  will  be  allowed  on  this  property;  it  is  a  criminal  act,  and  I  will  treat  it 
accordingly.  There  are  certain  men  who  can  never  return  to  work  on  this  property, 
not  on  account  of  their  being  United  Mine  Workers,  but  on  account  of  their  individual 
acts.  I  don’t  care  what  a  man’s  religion  or  politics  is,  or  whether  or  not  he  belongs 
to  a  labor  organization;  laboring  men  have  a  perfect  right  to  organize  if  they  want 
to.  Now,  you  are  all  considering  the  proposition  that  you  are  no  longer  employees 
of  ours.  I  tell  you  frankly  I  think  you  are  making  a  great  mistake.  I  want  you  to 
consider  this  matter  seriously,  and  the  great  responsibility  you  are  assuming  by  refus¬ 
ing  to  abide  by  the  decision  and  return  to  work.  I  don’ t  know  that  we  have  anything 
further  to  say,  if  this  is  your  final  decision.  You  are  refusing  to  agree  to  what  you 
say  your  convention  agreed  to  do.  I  have  asked  you  individually  to  do  just  what 
the  convention  in  a  vote  stated.  You  know  as  well  as  I  do  how  you  create  your 
delegates,  and  that  a  number  of  our  people  do  not  attend  the  meetings;  a  great  many 
men  were  not  at  the  meetings,  and  never  go  there.  I  want  to  know  that  every  man 
is  going  to  abide  by  that  decision.  I  want  everything  cleaned  up  now,  so  there  will 
be  no  trouble  afterwards  by  men  coming  back,  and  saying  they  never  agreed  to  abide 
by  the  arbitration  decision.  It  is  with  that  in  view,  and  for  no  other  purpose,  that 
I  am  requesting  this.  A  great  many  of  our  men  would  go  to  work  now,  but  they  are 
being  held  back  by  a  few,  and  we  know  who  those  few  are. 

“  Charles  Helferty:  Intimidation  is  not  the  thing. 

“John  Markle.  There  are  a  few  of  you  fellows  down  there  in  Japan,  the  worst 
lot  on  the  property.  *  *  *  I  have  not  had  a  non-union  man  on  the  property.  I 
have  not  attempted  to  do  a  thing;  have  not  turned  a  wheel;  I  made  up  my  mind  I 
was  not  going  to  conflict  with  this  thing  this  time,  and  I  sat  quietly  by. 

“Charles  Helferty:  Isn’t  it  a  fact,  Mr.  Markle,  that  some  of  the  places  are  filled; 
that  there  are  some  men  who  will  not  get  their  places  back? 

“John  Markle:  To  my  knowledge  there  is  not  a  man  who  will  not  get  his  old 
place  back,  with  the  exception  of  the  few  who  can  never  be  taken  back.  If  you 
want  to  know  who  those  men  are,  if  that  is  why  you  are  holding  back,  I  will  let  you 
know  inside  of  twenty-four  hours.  If  you  think  by  insisting  upon  coming  back  in  a 
body  you  are  going  to  force  me  to  take  those  men  back,  you  are  mistaken.  Politics 
have  been  at  the  bottom  of  this  whole  trouble.  When  you  mix  business  and  politics 
there  is  trouble.  They  won’t  mix.  I  have  no  hard  feeling  against  our  men.  There 
are  a  few  men  who  will  not  work  on  this  property,  and  you  can  make  up  your  minds 
to  it,  under  no  condition.  There  are  some  men  on  this  property  who  have  done 
more  than  you  dream  of,  and  making  more  threats.  If  this  is  your  final  action,  I 
want  you  to  state  it  to  me;  then  you  have  thrown  down  the  gauntlet,  and  I  will  act 
accordingly.  There  are  a  few  men  I  won’t  take  back,  and  if  you  fellows  want  to  stay 
out  on  account  of  those  few  men,  why  you  can;  that  is  all  I  have  to  say;  but  you  are 
very  foolish. 

“Charles  Helferty:  That  means  that  every  man  comes  back  and  applies  indi¬ 
vidually,  so  you  will  know  who  is  here  to  go  to  work? 

“John  Markle:  Yes;  and  another  reason  is  that  each  individual  will  agree  to 
abide  by  what  you  have  already  agreed  to  abide  by  at  your  convention.  I  was  not 
a  party  to  your  convention,  and  I  want  you  to  tell  me  that  you  will  abide  by  that 
decision.  If  you  will  do  that,  say  so,  and  we  will  arrange  to  open  our  collieries,  get 
our  mules  shod,  light  our  fires,  and  start  our  ventilation.  If  you  won’t  do  that,  you 
must  leave  the  houses.  You  can’t  be  a  dog  in  the  manger;  you  can’t  remain  here 
and  not  work.  If  you  want  to  consider  it  further,  all  right;  do  so.  I  would  advise 
you  to  go  slowly.” 

After  having  consulted  between  themselves,  they  stated'  that  they 
would  give  an  answer  the  following  day  (Saturday),  but  did  not  return 
at  the  time  appointed. 

Thirteenth.  Meanwhile,  I  had  been  informed  that  the  same  men 
who  had  been  making  trouble  during  the  strike,  were  taking  a  leading 
part  in  intimidating  and  threatening  anyone  coming  to  the  office  and 
returning  to  work  under  the  conditions  specified,  and  that  false  state¬ 
ments  had  been  given  as  to  the  facts  of  our  interview,  to  the  effect 
that  we  insisted  upon  the  men  signing  an  ironclad  agreement,  and  that 
the  men  would  never  come  back  under  those  conditions. 

Having  waited  for  the  committee  until  11  o’clock  on  the  morning  of 
Monday,  October  27,  1902,  I  ordered  the  notice  to  give  up  possession 
of  the  houses  to  be  served  upon  twelve  of  the  thirteen  men  who  had 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND 


THEIR  STATEMENTS.  157 


been  active  in  preventing  the  men  from  resuming  work,  viz. :  John 
Nahi,  Charles  Keenan,  James  Poucun,  Charles  Jacquot,  George 
Polack,  Andro  Kanyeck,  Henry  Coll,  Paul  Dunleavy,  Charles  Hel- 
ferty,  James  Gallagher,  John  Demchock,  and  Henry  bhovlin.  It 
should  be  added  that  Frank  Kay,  one  of  the  thirteen,  was  not  a  tenant, 
but  owned  his  house.  After  they  were  served,  we  were  informed  that 
these  men  asserted  that  they  would  pay  no  attention  to  them;  that 
they  had  been  advised  by  their  attorney  they  could.  not  be  put  out  ot 
their  houses,  and  their  whole  attitude  was  one  of  defiance.  I  he  leases 
(of  which  a  copy  is  annexed)  required  a  six  days’  notice,  but  we  waited 
ten  days  from  the  time  the  notices  to  quit  the  houses  were  issued,  and 
no  one  of  them  came  and  asked  for  an  extension  of  time.  As  the 
lease  contained  a  waiver  of  the  benefit  of  the  exemption  laws,  a  dis¬ 
tress  might  have  been  made  immediately,  and  their  household  eflects 
seized  and  sold,  as  is  commonly  done  by  the  owners  of  tenement 
houses  in  cases  of  this  character  in  every  large  city,  but  no  attempt 
was  made  to  collect  the  arrears  of  rent  which  had  accrued  during  the 
strike,  and  the  notice  to  quit  having  been  served  October  27, judg¬ 
ment  in  ejectment  was  entered  November  5,  and  the  parties  evicted  on 

November  6,  1902. 

The  only  request  for  an  extension  was  when  the  shenfi  appeared  on 
November  6,  when  he  was  asked  for  a  few  hours’  delay.  He  came  to 
the  office  and  reported,  and  our  local  counsel  at  Hazleton  being  pres¬ 
ent,  advised  that  they  were  only  asking  for  delay  to  get  out  an 
injunction,  and  that  the  proceedings  should  not  be  stopped.  No  rea¬ 
son  was  given,  on  the  ground  of  sickness  or  otherwise,  foi  the  delay, 
and  I  knew  nothing  of  the  conditions  of  any  of  the  families  which 
made  it  improper  or  unreasonable  to  recover  possession  of  the  houses, 
as  we  had  determined  that  we  ought  not  to  take  back  any  of  the  men 
named,  and  I  have  learned  upon  inquiry  that  no  one  m  the  office  bad 
any  such  information,  nor  was  there,  in  reality,  any  substantial 
foundation  for  the  stories  that  were  told.  The  net  earnings  of  the 
twelve  men  who  were  evicted,  for  the  year  1901,  were  as  follows: 


Joseph  Popcum . 

Charles  Keenan . 

Charles  Jacquott . 

Andrew  Kamjuck . 

John  Dimshock . 

James  Gallagher . 

Henry  Coll  — . . 

Paul  Dunleavy  (eight  months) 

Charles  Helferty . - . 

Henry  Shovelin . 

George  Pollock . 

John  Nohie . 


$1,  026.  76 
688.  59 
730. 32 
714.  77 
714.  47 
779. 07 
491. 99 
510. 29 
494.  07 
973.  93 
275. 65 
344. 54 


Henry  Coil’s  son  earned  $235.15  in  the  first  seven  months  ot  1901, 
when  he  left  the  property,  presumably  to  better  his  condition.  Coll 
himself  had  always  been  given  good  wages,  beyond  what  he  could  earn 
in  recent  years,  and  the  firm  contributed  $50. to  a  relief  fund  for  his 
benefit.  No  one  knew  anything  of  the.  condition  ot  his  wife,  and  she 
did  not  die  in  consequence  of  the  eviction,  which  occurred  on  the  ot 
of  November,  as  she  lived  until  the  first  week  of  December.  He  was 
one  of  the  men  reported  to  have  been  advised  to  refuse  to  move,  and 
though  he  had  ten  days  in  which  to  make  ready,  he  compelled  the 
sheriff  to  put  his  goods  out  of  the  house.  It  is  manifest  that  it  was 


158  EEPOET  OF  ANTHEAC1TE  COAL  STEIKE  COMMISSION. 

thought  desirable  by  some  one  that  the  firm  should  be  forced  to  take 
this  action,  in  order  to  make  a  case  which  should  appeal  to  the  sympa¬ 
thy  of  the  Commission.  A  word  will  be  said  hereafter  as  to  where  the 
responsibility  rests. 

James  Gallagher  had  three  unmarried  sons  in  the  employment  of  the 
firm,  who  received  $944.81,  during  the  year  1901.  The  youngest  son’s 
earnings  can  not  be  accurately  ascertained,  and  were  included  in  his 
father’s  earnings,  as  in  disregard  of  the  rule  upon  the  subject,  his  time 
was  not  separately  reported,  as  he  was  working  as  a  laborer  for  his 
father.  Several  of  the  sons  of  the  men  who  were  evicted  were  taken 
back  and  are  now  working  for  the  firm. 

The  father  of  the  boy  Chippie  was  killed  as  the  result  of  his  own 
negligence.  The  report  by  the  mine  inspector  of  his  death  is  given 
in  the  Report  of  the  Bureau  of  Mines  of  1901,  page  260.  He  was  not 
indebted  to  the  firm  at  the  time  of  his  death.  His  earnings  for  the 
previous  six  months,  from  February  to  July,  inclusive,  amounted  to 
$330.30,  the  highest  month  being  $70.51  in  February  and  $69.09  for 
the  month  of  March.  The  funeral  fund  paid  over  to  his  widow  was 
upwards  of  $350.  She  had  kept  boarders  during  his  lifetime,  and  has 
continued  to  do  so  until  now.  Many  a  widow  left  in  penury  has 
brought  up  a  large  family  by  keeping  boarders,  and  paid  rent  besides; 
but  Mrs.  Chippie  paid  nothing  on  account  of  rent  or  coal.  When  she 
first  brought  her  boy  to  the  office,  she  was  told  that  he  was  too  young 
to  be  allowed  to  go  to  work,  and  he  was  not  permitted  to  start  until 
about  six  weeks  before  the  strike,  when  he  started  as  a  beginner,  at 
nominal  wages,  until  he  had  sufficient  experience  to  entitle  him  to  an 
advance.  The  work  is  easy,  and  the  boys  are  sheltered,  and  kept 
fairly  comfortable.  In  cold  weather,  the  breaker  is  heated  by  steam, 
and,  as  the  coal  is  worked  wet,  there  is  comparatively  no  dust.  Com¬ 
pared  to  the  life  of  the  boys  on  the  farms  in  Luzerne  County,  or  of 
the  messenger  and  telegraph  boys  in  Philadelphia,  he  was  relatively 
well  off,  if  obliged  to  work  at  all ;  and  many  men  who  are  now  super¬ 
intendents,  foremen,  independent  operators,  and  judges  on  the  bench, 
began  life  just  as  he  did.  The  statement  of  account  handed  to  him 
was  made  out  by  one  of  the  bookkeepers  in  the  regular  way,  without 
its  being  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  superintendent,  but,  as  already 
stated,  Mrs.  Chippie  had  been  allowed  to  lire  in  the  house  from  the 
time  of  the  death  of  her  husband,  without  ever  having  been  called 
upon  to  pay  for  rent  or  coal. 

As  to  Mrs.  Burns,  her  husband  died  in  November,  1888,  and  her 
son  started  to  work  February  1,  1894.  During  that  interval  of  over 
five  years,  she  was  allowed  to  live  in  the  house  without  paying  rent, 
and  was  supplied  with  coal  without  payment.  When  her  son  began 
to  work,  under  the  rules,  she  was  allowed  to  go  to  the  store  and  buy 
goods  on  credit.  In  the  regular  course  she  should,  at  that  time,  have 
been  credited  with  the  amount  due  for  rent  and  coal,  but  this  was 
overlooked,  and  it  was  not  until  1898  that  she  was  credited  with 
$376.70,  the  amount  of  rent  and  coal;  or,  in  other  words,  she  was 
forgiven  the  indebtedness  which  had  accrued  down  to  the  time  her 
son  began  work. 

If  the  Commission  shall  desire  detailed  information  as  to  the  other 
cases,  it  will  be  presented  at  the  hearing;  but  I  repeat  that  in  no  one  of 
them  had  I  any  knowledge,  or  reason  to  believe  that  there  was  the  least 
reason  for  suspending  the  enforcement  of  the  contract  of  lease.  The 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS. 


159 


houses  were  built  and  are  kept  up  for  the  employees  of  the  firm,  and, 
except  in  cases  like  Mrs.  Chippie  or  Mrs.  Burns  or  Mrs.  Remock,  where 
families  have  been  permitted,  as  a  matter  of  charity,  to  remain  until 
the  children  have  been  able  to  go  to  work,  anyone  leaving  our  employ¬ 
ment,  or  discharged,  is  expected  to  vacate.  It  was  the  ordinary  case, 
therefore,  of  ejecting  tenants  who  we  believed  to  be  criminals  in  intent 
and  counsel,  if  not  in  act,  and  dangerous  to  the  discipline  of  the  men 
and  the  proper  conduct  of  the  business.  Not  only  was  ample  notice 
given  them,  but  the  committee  representing  the  men,  and  Thomas 
Duffy,  the  president  of  the  seventh  district,  also  knew  that  notice  had 
been  given,  and  would  be  enforced. 

Fourteenth.  At  an  interview  held  on  November  1,  1902,  between 
Mr.  Williams,  the  present  superintendent  of  the  company,  and  Mr. 
Duffy,  a  conversation  took  place  of  which  the  following  is  a  report: 

Mr.  Duffy  brought  up  the  matter  of  certain  employees  having  been  given  notice  to 
quit  the  houses  in  which  they  lived,  and  I  willingly  explained  that  no  action  had 
been  taken  on  this  matter  until  after  the  failure  of  the  committee  to  report,  and  that 
Mr.  Markle  had  taken  this  action  against  certain  employees,  not  on  account  of  their 
connection  with  the  union,  though  from  the  statement  published  in  the  paper  I  had 
since  found  that  there  were  a  number  of  union  officers  in  the  list,  but  that  the  action 
was  taken  as  against  men  who  had  personally  done  acts  that  were  improper,  and 
while  unwilling  to  use  the  word  “  criminal,”  I  thought  the  acts  committed  far  beyond 
such  as  might  have  resulted  from  enthusiasm  or  zeal  for  the  side  which  they  repre¬ 
sented  during  this  strike.  Mr.  Duffy  thought  that  it  was  strange  Mr.  Markle 
should  not  give  these  men  a  hearing  before  their  fellow-workers  and  neighbors,  and 
that  he  should  be  broad  enough  to  consider  these  matters  from  all  sides,  and  allow 
other  people  to  know  the  reasons  why  they  were  discharged.  I  stated  that  the  action 
of  the  men  on  whom  notices  had  been  served  had  been  gone  over  most  carefully,  and 
I  considered  Mr.  Markle’ s  action  very  broad,  in  that  no  man  was  served  with  such 
notice  simply  because  of  agitation,  or  because  he  was  prominent  in  connection  with 
persuading  our  men  to  stay  away  from  work,  but  because  of  personal  aggressive  acts. 

Mr.  Duffy  wished  to  know  whether  I  would  receive  a  committee  of  employees  ask¬ 
ing  for  the  reasons  of  the  discharge  of  the  men  who  had  received  notices  to  vacate, 
stating  particularly  that  he  asked  this  question  personally,  and  not  as  a  representa¬ 
tive  of  any  kind.  I  stated  emphatically  that  I  could  not  receive  such  a  committee  of 
employees,  as  it  was  a  matter  Mr.  Markle  had  decided  upon,  and  had  stated  posi¬ 
tively  that  such  men  could  not  be  again  employed  by  this  company,  that  when  a 
committee  of  employees  had  been  here  twice,  at  both  of  these  meetings  Mr.  Markle 
had  told  them  that  there  were  certain  men  who  he  intended  to  consider  carefully 
personally,  but  when  the  committee  did  not  report  Saturday  he  had  decided  that 
such  men  could  not  be  employed  here  hereafter.  Mr.  Duffy  wished  to  know  per¬ 
sonally  and  specifically,  stating  not  as  a  representative,  whether  I  would  ascertain 
from  Mr.  Markle  whether  he  would  see  a  committee  of  employees  if  they  called.  I 
stated  I  could  only  call  Mr.  Markle  up  on  the  telephone  and  ask  the  question,  at  the 
same  time  stating  that  when  the  committee  was  here,  and  were  told  that  the  cases 
of  certain  men  were  to  be  considered  before  they  were  employed,  that  no  question 
arose  at  their  meeting  as  to  such  men  demanding  a  hearing,  and  that  when  two  of 
the  men  upon  whom  notices  to  vacate  were  served,  called  later,  that  these  men  did 
not  ask  for  a  hearing.  I  stated  that  I  believed  Mr.  Markle  s  action  in  this  matter 
was  final,  and  that  the  cause  of  their  being  served  with  notices  to  vacate  was  per¬ 
sonal  in  each  case,  and  was  not  affected  by  the  question  whether  they  worked  in  the 
mines,  at  the  barn,  or  on  the  property  at  all,  therefore,  I  did  not  think  a  hearing 
would  be  granted  before  a  committee  of  employees. 

Mr.  Duffy  again  stated  that  he  came  personally  and  did  not  expect  recognition  as 
a  rcprcsontcitivo  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  at  this  time,  though  he  hoped  that  such 
recognition  would  be  accorded  him  at  some  future  time,  which  was  said  with  a  smile, 
and  received  in  the  same  way  by  Mr.  Dunkerly  and  myself. 

Mr.  Duffy  requested  that  I  call  up  Mr.  Markle,  and  that  he  would  call  again  at  a 
quarter  to  twelve  to  ascertain  if  any  answer  had  been  received.  Mr.  Duffy  stated 
that  he  hoped  Mr.  Markle  would  grant  a  hearing  in  cases  of  the  men  served  with 
notices  to  vacate,  as  it  was  his  earnest  desire  that  something  should  be  done  so  that 
the  men  on  this  property  wTould  not  be  required  to  remain  idle  longer,  and  hoped 
Mr,  Markle  would  go  half  way  in  arriving  at  a  settlement.  I  quoted  Mr.  Markle  s 


160  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


statement  at  the  meeting  of  the  committee  of  employees  that  certain  men  could  not 
be  employed  again  by  this  company,  and  that  the  list  of  those  served  with  notices 
was  the  result  of  his  decision  in  the  matter;  that  Mr.  Markle  had  the  reputation  of 
saying  what  he  meant  and  all  that  he  meant,  and  saying  the  same  plainly  so  there 
could  be  no  misunderstanding,  and  Mr.  Duffy  stated  that  such  was  certainly  the 
case. 

Mr.  Duffy  stated,  whether  these  men  were  discharged  with  reason  or  not,  who 
knew  whether  this  list  would  not  be  followed  shortly  by  another  list  of  ten  or  more, 
and  continual  discharges  made  without  reasons  being  given;  that  where  discharges 
had  been  made  heretofore,  notices  and  in  other  cases  explanations  had  been  asked 
for  and  received  by  committee  of  employees.  Mr.  Duffy  stated  he  had  known  many 
of  the  men  on  whom  notices  to  vacate  had  been  served,  for  five  years,  and  that  he 
was  sure  there  was  nothing  criminal  that  such  men  had  done.  1  stated,  while 
unwilling  to  class  their  actions  as  either  criminal  or  noncriminal,  that  Mr.  Markle 
had  known  these  men  for  many  years,  and  had  not  acted  hastily,  and  felt  that  they 
had  done  things  sufficient  to  warrant  him  in  the  course  he  had  taken,  that  is,  order¬ 
ing  them  to  vacate  their  houses.  I  stated  that  so  far  no  one,  either  of  the  committee 
of  employees  or  the  two  men  on  whom  notices  were  served  to  vacate,  had  asked  for 
a  hearing,  and  that  therefore  the  question  had  not  been  in  any  way  brought  up  or 
mentioned,  and  consequently  I  could  not  state  what  Mr.  Markle’ s  decision  would  be, 
though  I  believed  his  decision  was  final. 

Mr.  Duffy  asked  whether  the  men  on  whom  notices  to  vacate  had  been  served 
would  be  made  to  vacate  to-day,  Saturday.  I  said  “  No.” 

The  fact  that  the  evicted  men  had  been  notified  to  leave  is  thus 
brought  home  to  the  president  of  the  district  union,  and  if  he  and  his 
attorney  did  not  encourage  and  advise  them  to  disregard  the  obliga¬ 
tions  of  their  contracts  and  to  run  the  risk  of  defying  the  judgment  of 
the  court,  it  does  not  appear  that  they  gave  them  the  counsel  they 
should  have  given  them. 

If  any  reasons  existed  in  any  of  the  cases  why  the  law  should  not  be 
allowed  to  take  its  course,  it  would  have  been  easy  for  the  men  them¬ 
selves,  or  the  committee,  or  the  mine  union,  or  their  friends,  to  have 
asked  for  indulgence,  and  given  the  grounds  upon  which  the  request 
was  made.  It  is  also  apparent  that  if,  in  any  case,  the  parties  were 
entitled  to  sympathy  and  help,  the  United  Mine  Workers  (who  had 
kept  them  in  idleness  during  six  months,  and  whose  officers  were  in 
direct  communication  with  them,  so  that  they  had  the  means  of  know¬ 
ing  the  truth  as  to  their  condition)  might  easily  have  assisted  them  in 
removing  to  suitable  homes  and  provided  for  their  wants,  and  for  the 
consequences  which  followed  they  are  responsible. 

George  B.  Markle  &  Co., 

By  John  Markle, 

Managing  Partner . 

George  K.  Bedford, 

Samuel  Dickson, 

Of  Counsel. 


City  and  County  of  Philadelphia,  ss. 

John  Markle,  being  duly  sworn,  says  that  the  facts  set  forth  in  the 
foregoing  answer,  so  far  as  they  are  stated  of  my  own  knowledge,  are 
true,  and  so  far  as  they  are  stated  on  the  information  of  others,  I 
believe  them  to  be  true. 

Jno.  Markle. 


Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me,  this  third  day  of  January,  A.  D. 
1903. 


W.  C.  Harris,  [seal.] 

Notary  Public . 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  161 


APPENDIX.  [TO  ANSWER  OF  G.  B.  MARKLE  &  CO.] 

EXHIBIT  A.— EXTRACTS  FROM  REPORT  OF  MEETING  AT  JEDDO  SCHOOL- 
HOUSE,  IN  PUBLIC  LEDGER  OF  SEPTEMBER  20,  1900. 

Mitchell  was  talking  when  John  Markle  arrived.  He  was  cautioning  the  men  not 
to  listen  to  the  persuasions  or  promises  of  the  company,  for  they  were  only  calcu¬ 
lated  to  deceive.  Markle  stood  and  listened  to  him.  He  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  miners  there  who  were  not  his  own  men  were  union  friends  of  Mitchell,  and 
that  any  interference  on  his  part  would  only  lead  to  disturbance. 

Mitchell  attacked  the  Markle  contracts,  saying  the  men  had  to  sign  or  they  could 
not  get  work,  and  that  the  company  would  not  consider  a  contract  binding  if  it  chose 
to  break  it.  “Then  why,”  he  asked,  “should  the  men  stand  by  it?  No  represen¬ 
tative  of  the  miners  was  present  when  the  contract  was  drawn  up.  It  was  purely  a 
creation  of  the  operators,  drawn  in  their  interests.  From  one  end  of  the  coal  region 
to  the  other,”  Mitchell  continued,  “I  have  met  with  miners  struggling  for  better 
conditions  and  wages  that  will  enable  them  to  live  like  Christian  beings.  Resume 
work  at  this  mine,  and  you  deal  them  a  blow  from  which  they  may  not  recover. 
Join  the  strikers  and  you  help  them  to  regain  their  rights  and  yours.  Strike  and 
stay  out  until  settlement  is  made,  that  will  give  you  all  the  privileges  to  which  you 
are  entitled;  it  will  surely  come.  I  want  arbitration  that  will  crush  out  the  railroad 
companies  that  control  the  coal  output,  and  are  crushing  you  and  the  Markles  also. 
If  these  railroad  companies  want  to  arbitrate,  our  organization  is  ready  to  meet  them, 
hut  we  will  not  deal  with  individual  operators.  Trust  us,  and  we  will  prove  your 
claim  to  every  demand  you  make.  Do  not  continue  to  pay  the  company  $2.75  for 
powder  that  costs  them  $1.  Out  in  the  bituminous  regions  we  can  go  to  the  mill  and 
buy  all  we  want  for  $1.25.  Where  the  miners’  organization  is  strong,  there  are  no 
strikes.  The  operators  and  the  union  men  meet  every  year  on  a  business  basis  and 
agree  to  the  scales  of  wages  for  the  year.  We  do  not  want  strikes,  but  it  is  necessary 
for  you  men  to  strike  until  you  can  get  what  you  desire.  Once  the  power  of  the 
railway  companies  is  broken,  you  will  be  all  right.  I  do  not  believe  in  shouting 
down  capital,  but  labor  is  older  than  capital,  and  is  entitled  to  its  share  of  the  com¬ 
forts  that  capital  will  bring.  If  you  want  homes  instead  of  hovels,  and  desire  to 
keep  your  boys  out  of  the  life-destroying  breakers,  join  the  strike.” 

Markle  then  took  his  place  to  address  the  meeting.  For  the  first  fifteen  minutes 
he  had  to  put  up  with  a  running  fire  of  questions  from  his  hearers.  Even  his  own 
men  did  not  spare  him.  It  was  the  first  time  an  operator  had  ever  put  himself  up 
as  a  target  in  that  fashion,  and  the  men  intended  to  make  the  most  of  it.  After 
a  while,  however,  this  subsided,  and  Markle  was  able  to  talk  about  arbitration. 

*  ‘  Our  contract  says  we  shall  not  strike.  It  says  we  shall  arbitrate.  The  agreement 
is  as  binding  to  you  as  it  is  to  me.  I  feel  bound  to  live  up  to  it.  Don’t  you?  Are 
you  going  to  let  these  men  stifle  your  honor?  I  don’t  want  to  postpone  our  answer 
to  your  grievances.  You  shall  have  it  when  the  ten  days  are  up,  and  if  it  is  not  sat¬ 
isfactory,  name  your  man  to  arbitrate.  Let  him,  with  our  man,  choose  the  third 
man,  and  whatever  conclusion  they  come  to,  I  pledge  myself  to  stand  by.” 

This  was  received  with  an  outburst  of  cheers.  Markle  went  on:  “I  have  been 
asked  if  Archbishop  Ryan  would  be  satisfactory  to  us  as  a  third  man?  Unquestion¬ 
ably  so.  I  do  not  know  that  you  could  get  a  better  or  fairer  man.  But  if  you  think 
you  could,  why,  get  him.  It  has  been  charged  by  the  other  side  that  our  proposal 
is  not  made  in  good  faith.  They  can  not  argue  that  from  anything  we  have  said  or 
done.  If  you  have  any  doubt  that  I  will  live  up  to  my  contract,  try  me.  It  won’t 
take  many  days.”  *  *  * 

“Mitchell  says  he  has  your  welfare  at  heart.  Then,  why  does  he  reject  my  pro¬ 
posal?  He  wants  to  arbitrate,  but  only  under  his  own  system.” 

S.  Doc.  6 - 11 


1C) 2  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


“I  want  to  arbitrate  the  entire  question,  not  your  end  of  it,”  shouted  Mitchell 
from  the  crowd. 

“Will  you  let  our  men  arbitrate  as  agreed  in  the  contract?”  replied  Markle. 

“No;  not  on  the  basis  you  propose,”  retorted  Mitchell. 

“Look  what  money  you  were  making  three  weeks  ago,”  continued  Markle,  ignor¬ 
ing  Mitchell,  and  addressing  himself  to  the  men.  “You  were  working  six  days  a 
week,  and  some  of  you  came  to  me  and  asked  that  you  be  worked  only  five  days, 
and  nine  hours.  You  were  getting  too  much  work.  You  want  prosperity.  You 
have  it.  Why  should  you  allow  outsiders  to  come  in  here  and  interfere  with  you? 

*  *  *  Suppose  you  trust  me  and  see  what  I  mean  to  do.  If  I  fail  to  live  up  to 
our  agreement,  condemn  me  and  strike;  but  not  until  then. 

When  Markle  had  finished  talking,  the  miners  called  for  Father  Phillips,  who  was 
in  the  crowd.  When  he  reached  the  platform,  the  popular  priest  lifted  his  black¬ 
thorn  stick  impressively,  and  said: 

“This  is  a  very  difficult  position  for  me.  I  do  not  like  to  advise  you.  I  did  not 
come  here  to  take  any  part  in  this  discussion.  But  after  listening  to  the  way  Mr. 
Markle  has  talked,  I  feel  it  a  positive  duty  to  say  a  word.  My  father  was  a  miner. 

I  have  spent  the  better  part  of  my  life  in  the  mines.  I  know  and  sympathize  with 
every  pulsation  of  the  miner’s  heart.  There  are  no  better  and  truer  men;  no  men  of 
kinder  hearts  'and  more  generous  acts.  I  know  your  grievances,  your  hardships, 
and  your  temptations.  I  deplore  this  strike.  It  is  the  desire  of  my  heart  to  see  it 
settled,  But  I  am  convinced  that  the  only  way  to  settle  it  is  by  arbitration.  I 
never  in  my  life  saw  a  meeting  like  this  or  heard  an  operator  make  such  a  proposition 
as  Mr.  Markle  has  made  to-day.  I  call  Mr.  Mitchell  my  friend,  but  I  can  not  see  # 
how  he  can  advise  you  to  reject  it.  You  will  have  the  advice  of  that  splendid 
majestic  man,  the  Metropolitan  of  Philadelphia,  the  brightest  orator  in  the  pulpit 
to-day,  loved  and  honored  by  all — Archbishop  Ryan,  of  Philadelphia.  You  will  find 
him  always  on  the  side  of  the  poor  and  oppressed.  It  has  gone  out  to  the  world  that 
you  have  been  offered  arbitration,  and  if  you  reject  it  I  believe  from  my  heart  that 
you  will  deal  one  of  the  hardest  blows  that  has  ever  been  struck  at  organized  labor.” 

This  angered  the  union  men.  About  200  of  them  withdrew,  calling  to  the  others 
to  follow  and  making  an  effort  to  break  up  the  meeting. 

The  advice  of  the  earnest  priest,  in  whom  the  miners  have  such  confidence,  had  a 
startling  effect  on  Mitchell,  and  he  did  not  attempt  to  conceal  it.  Father  Phillips 
concluded : 

“Any  breach  in  your  ranks  now  will  not  be  pleasing  to  the  men  who  are  fighting 
the  battle.  I  do  not  want  to  see  you  lose.  I  want  you  to  have  all  you  deserve.  But 
be  honest;  be  fair.  There  is  nothing  so  fair  as  arbitration.  Do  not  throw  away  an 
opportunity  you  may  regret  for  the  rest  of  your  lives.” 

In  a  minute  Mitchell  was  addressing  the  throng  again,  to  counteract  the  effect  of 
the  priest’s  words.  He  said  his  arguments  were  specious  and  his  motives  not  disin¬ 
terested.  “Markle  offers  arbitration,”  said  Mitchell,  “but ask  him  if  he  will  agree 
to  live  up  to  his  promise  after  the  strike  is  lost  in  the  other  part  of  this  region. 
When  the  price  of  coal  goes  down,  your  wages  will  go  down.  The  reason  coal  is 
going  up  is  because  there  is  none  of  it  going  to  market.  Remember,  men,  if  you 
work,  you  are  doing  so  at  the  expense  of  your  fellow-miners.  If  you  work,  you  add 
to  the  heavy  burden  already  on  their  shoulders.  If  your  wages  are  increased,  you 
can  not  derive  any  permanent  benefit  unless  theirs  are  increased,  too.” 

It  was  an  effective  string,  and  Mitchell  fiddled  on  it  for  a  long  time. 

In  conclusion,  Mitchell  said: 

“We  are  in  favor  of  arbitration  if  it  includes  the  railroad  corporations  that  control 
the  supply  of  coal.  If  they  will  arbitrate,  we  will  arbitrate.  The  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America  know  best  what  is  good  for  the  miners.  I  should  not  undertake 
to  tell  my  friend  Father  Phillips  how  to  manage  a  church,  but  I  am  a  miner  and  I 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  163 


do  know  something  about  mines.  The  railroads  fix  the  price  of  coal,  and  you  are 
their  victims.  The  operators  are  also  their  victims.  They  are  crowding  the  indi¬ 
vidual  operators  out  of  the  business.  The  railroads  control  72  per  cent  of  all  the 
coal  going  out  of  this  region.  The  coal  companies  pay  no  dividends,  but  they  turn 
the  money  over  to  the  railroads.  It  is  taking  profits  out  of  one  pocket  and  putting 
them  into  another.” 

Note. — In  the  course  of  his  final  remarks,  Mitchell  appealed  to  the  men  substan¬ 
tially  in  the  words  quoted  in  the  body  of  my  answer. 

J  J.  M. 


EXHIBIT  B. — EXTRACT  FROM  REPORT  OF  THE  BUREAU  OF  MINES 

FOR  1901,  PAGE  260. 

Nos.  36  and  37.  Michael  Remock,  miner,  and  Andrew  Chippie,  miner,  employed 
at  Jeddo  No.  4  colliery,  were  instantly  killed  on  August  6.  The  men  had  fired  a  shot 
in  the  pillar,  and  had  retreated  to  a  place  of  safety.  They  were  sitting  under  their 
platform  when  a  fall  of  coal  followed  the  shot,  which  overloaded  their  platform, 
causing  it  to  break  down  on  them  with  the  aforesaid  result.  The  investigation  showed 
that  the  platform  was  only  a  temporary  or  frail  structure,  built  by  the  men  them¬ 
selves,  which  they  considered  safe.  They  were  engaged  in  robbing  pillars,  and  should 
have  gone  out  of  the  gangway  when  a  shot  was  fired.  This  error  in  judgment  cost 

them  their  lives. 

EXHIBIT  C. — STATEMENT  OF  EARNINGS  [OF  CONTRACT  MINERS]. 


Earnings  of  certain  contract  miners  during  eleven  and  one-half  months  ended  December 
15,  1901,  including  11  of  the  highest  earners  and  5  of  the  lowest. 


Thomas  Elliott.. 
Henry  Hoffick  . . 

John  Tyson . 

Frank  Ray . 

Stanley  Rowland 
F'rank  Forasser. . 


$4, 402.  61 
2,  532.  67 
1,  889.  77 
1,  735.  54 
1,  822. 18 
1,  701.  04 


14, 083.  81 


P.  J.  O’Donnell  ... 
William  Yescevick 
George  Anoskie  . . . 
Andrew  O’Donnell 
Mike  Banjo.. ----- 
Mike  Rushinskie. . 

George  Kotch . 

Barney  Komikkey 
Adam  Glasbus 
James  McDermott. 


1, 297. 45 
1,  225. 44 
1, 190.  92 
1, 145.  52 
1, 113.  78 
521. 14 
481.27 
456.  97 
438.  58 
393.  76 


Average  for  second  group,  $826.48. 


8,  264.  83 


EXHIBIT  D. — [FORM  OF  LEASE  OF  COMPANY  HOUSE.] 


On  this 
unto 


day  of 


A.  D.  188—,  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.  hereby  lease  and  let 


lessee,  all  that  the  following-described  premises,  to  wit: 

J  _  _  i  •  1 1  *n  _  xl.  «  1  rtf  A 


to  have  and  to  hol’d  the  same  during  the  will  and  the  pleasure  of  the  said 

For  which  the  said  lessee - — — ,  will  pay  to  the  said  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co. 

the  rent  of - cents  per  day,  which  may  be  retained  by  the  said  G.  B.  Maikle 

&  Co  out  of  any  moneys  which  may  be  in  their  hands  due  to  the  said  lessee,  or 
which  mly  be  LtraiJd  for  by  the"  said  G.  B  Markle  &  Go.,  if  by  hem  < eemed 
expedient:  and  in  case  of  a  distress  for  rent  due,  the  lessee  herein,  by  this  instrument, 
waives  all  and  singular  the  rights,  benefits,  and  privileges,  and  process  of  any  exemp¬ 
tion  law  of  this  Commonwealth  now  in  force  or  which  may  hereafter  be  enacted. 


164  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


And  the  said  lessee  hereby  agrees  that  upon  six  days’  notice  so  to  do,  he  will  quit 
and  deliver  to  the  said  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.  peaceable  possession  of  the  said  premises 
with  the  appurtenances;  and  this  notice  may  be  given  by  delivering  to  the  lessee  in 
person  a  copy  thereof,  by  leaving  a  copy  thereof  at  his  residence  in  the  presence 
of  some  adult  member  of  his  family  or  neighbor’s,  or  by  posting  upon  the  premises  a 


copy  of  the  same.  .  ,  .  , 

In  case  the  said  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.  shall  choose  to  resort  to  an  action  of  ejectment 

to  recover  possession  of  said  premises,  then  the  said  ~  hereby  authorizes 

and  appoints - or  any  other  attorney  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  oi 

Luzerne  County,  to  appear  for  him,  accept  service  of  the  writ,  and  to  confess  judg¬ 
ment  to  plaintiffs  for  the  same  with  costs,  and  without  stay  of  execution.  . 

Witness  the  hands  and  seals  of  the  said  parties - day  of - anno  Domini  18—. 

Witness,  r  n 

- .  [seal.] 

- .  fsEAL.1 


EXHIBIT  E. — FORM  OF  CONTRACT  [WITH  EMPLOYEES]  WITH 

ARBITRATION  CLAUSE. 

We,  the  undersigned,  miners  and  other  persons  working  at  *  *  *  hereby 
agree  that  wages  and  car  prices  shall  be  calculated  and  paid  for  the  future  upon  the 

following  system — viz: 

When  the  New  York  Lehigh  Coal  Exchange  monthly  circular  of  prices  averages 
five  dollars  ($5.00)  per  ton  f.  o.  b.,  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.,  miners  shall  receive  for 
mining  and  loading  coal  in  cars,  as  follows:  Oak  Dale  1st,  ninety-six  (96)  cents  per 
car;  Oakdale  2nd,  one  and  seventeen  one-hundredths  ($1.17-100)  dollars  per  car; 
Highland  1st,  one  and  one-hundredths  ($1.1-100)  dollars  per  car;  Highland  2nd  and 
Highland  5th,  one  and  twenty-four  one-hundredths  ($1.24-100)  dollars  per  car. 
When  the  above  circular  prices  average  five  dollars  ($5.00)  per  ton,  inside  wages  to 
be  as  follows,  viz:  Miners,  twenty-one  (21)  cents  per  hour;  gangway  labor,  eighteen 
and  nine-tenths  (18  9-10)  cents  per  hour;  platform  labor,  seventeen  and  two-tenths 
(17  2-10)  cents  per  hour;  company  men  and  first-class  drivers,  eighteen  (18)  cents 
per  hour;  second-class  drivers,  fourteen  and  six-tenths  (14  6-10)  cents  per  hour; 
third-class  drivers,  twelve  and  eight- tenths  (12  8-10)  cents  per  hour.  The  above 
prices  and  wages  constitute  the  basis. 

When  the  circular  of  prices  of  the  New  York  Lehigh  Coal  Exchange  averages  one 
dollar  ($1.00)  more  or  one  dollar  ($1.00)  less  than  the  above  five  dollars  ($5.00) 
average  f.  o.  b.  at  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.,  there  shall  be  a  corresponding  rise  or  fall  of 
ten  per  centum  on  the  above  basis. 

When  the  circular  of  prices  of  the  New  York  Coal  Exchange  averages  five  dollars 
($5.00)  per  ton  f.  o.  b.  cars,  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.,  gangways  shall  be  four  and  seventy- 
five  one-hundredths  ($4.75)  dollars  per  yard;  airways  shall  be  three  and  sixteenth 
one-hundredths  ($3.16)  dollars  per  yard;  crosscuts  shall  be  one  and  eighty -eight 
one-hundredths  ($1.88)  dollars  per  yard;  opening  breasts,  narrow,  twenty-four  and 
fifty  one-hundredths  ($24.50)  dollars;  opening  breasts,  wide,  eight  ($8.00)  dollars. 
The  gangway,  per  yard,  shall  always  be  the  same  as  the  average  of  the  monthly  cir¬ 
cular  of  prices  of  the  New  York  Lehigh  Coal  Exchange,  f.  o.  b.,  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J. 
Airway,  per  yard,  crosscut,  per  yard,  opening  breast,  narrow  and  wide,  shall  rise 
or  fall  on  the  same  percentage  as  the  gangway  rises  or  falls;  all  other  labor  and  prices 
shall  be  regulated  as  heretofore. 

It  is  agreed  that  there  is  to  be  no  change  in  prices  and  wages  of  less  than  one  per 
centum  at  any  time.  We  further  agree  that  under  no  consideration  will  we  enter 
into  a  strike.  Any  difficulties  we  may  have  with  our  employers  are  to  be  settled  by 
arbitration,  viz:  by  our  choosing  a  competent  man  and  their  choosing  one,  and  if 
these  two  men  can  not  agree,  these  two  must  choose  the  third,  and  their  decision  or 
the  decision  of  a  majority  of  them  to  be  binding.  It  is  further  agreed  that  wre  will 
not  be  governed  by  any  labor  association  in  settling  any  difficulties  while  in  the 
employment  of  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co. 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  165 


ADDRESS  OF  THE  INDEPENDENT  COAL  OPERATORS  OF  THE 

LACKAWANNA  AND  WYOMING  REGION  TO  THE  ANTHRACITE 

COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

Scranton,  Pa.  ,  November  6 ,  190%. 

To  the  Anthracite  Coal  Strike  Commission. 

Gentlemen:  We  beg  to  submit  the  answer  of  the  independent 
operators  of  the  Lackawanna  and  Wyoming  region  to  the  demand  of 
our  employees  for  a  higher  rate  of  wages  and  shorter  hours.  To  their 
demand  for  a  uniform  increase  of  20  per  cent  for  contract  miners,  and 
an  equivalent  increase  to  all  other  help  employed,  in  the  way  of  shorter 
hours,  we  affirm  that  the  scale  of  wages  now  in  force  is  such  as  to 
enable  the  diligent  and  skillful  miner  to  earn  more  per  hour  than  any 
class  of  labor,  skilled  or  unskilled,  employed  in  the  cities  and  towns 
wherein  our  mines  are  located. 

Previous  to  the  advent  of  the  union  of  mine  workers,  the  hours  of 
labor  and  the  number  of  cars  produced  per  shift,  was  optional  with 
the  miner,  and  his  daily  or  annual  earnings  were  entirely  under  his 
own  control  and  varied  with  his  idea  of  the  proper  standard  of  living. 
Since  the  advent  of  the  union  of  miners,  the  hours  of  his  labor  have 
remained  entirely  optional  with  him,  allowing  him  to  work  as  few 
hours  as  he  may  see  fit,  restricting  him  only  to  a  certain  number  of 
cars  to  be  sent  out  in  any  one  day.  We  assert,  and  it  is  our  purpose 
to  prove  to  the  entire  satisfaction,  we  believe,  of  your  honorable  Com¬ 
mission,  that  the  rate  of  wages  now  paid  per  hour  to  the  contract 
miner,  if  he  is  diligent  and  industrious  is  greater  than  that  paid  to  an}^ 
skilled  or  unskilled  labor  in  the  cities  or  towns  in  which  he  lives,  and 
are  sufficiently  ample  to  furnish  him  means  not  only  to  educate  his 
children  and  live  as  becomes  an  American,  but  also  to  enable  him  to 
lay  by  sufficient  means  to  support  himself  in  his  old  age. 

If  we  are  successful  in  the  presentation  of  facts  and  figures  to  your 
honorable  Commission  which  will  substantiate  our  contention  we 
believe  that  the  rate  of  wages  paid,  and  the  hours  worked  should  not 
be  disturbed. 

We  herewith  answer  in  detail  the  statements  presented  by  the  miners 
to  your  honorable  Commission: 

First.  The  present  rate  of  wages  is  much  lower  than  the  rate  of 
wages  paid  in  the  bituminous  coal  fields  for  substantially  similar  work. 

This  is  not  a  statement  of  fact.  The  earnings  per  hour  of  the  anthra¬ 
cite  miner  are  greater  than  the  earnings  per  hour  of  the  bituminous 
miner  as  can  be  shown  by  comparison. 

Second.  The  present  rate  of  wages  is  lower  than  is  paid  in  other 
occupations  requiring  equal  skill  and  training. 

In  presenting  our  answer  to  this  statement  it  is  difficult  for  obvious 
reasons,  to  determine  upon  any  class  of  labor  which  is  suitable  for  pur¬ 
poses  of  comparison;  notwithstanding  that  it  requires  less  preparatory 
training  to  qualify  a  man  to  be  a  licensed  miner  than  is  required  in  any 
of  the  other  skilled  trades.  Despite  this  condition  it  will  be  shown  by 
comparison  that  the  earnings  of  the  miner  per  hour  equals  and  in  most 
cases  exceeds  the  wages  of  che  skilled  workman  in  other  branches  of 
trade  in  this  vicinity. 

Third.  The  average  annual  earnings  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  are 
much  less  than  the  average  annual  earnings  in  the  bituminous  coal 
fields  for  substantially  similar  work. 


166  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

This  statement  is  practically  answered  by  our  reply  to  the  first 
demand.  From  the  fact  that  the  miner  controls  his  own  time  of 
employment,  the  equitable  way  to  arrive  at  his  wages  is  to  consider 
the*  number  of  hours  he  works  per  day  which,  as  we  have  stated  is 
entirely  within  his  own  control.  We  believe  that  we  can  show  to  the 
satisfaction  of  your  honorable  Commission,  that  based  on  the  actual 
number  of  hours  worked  by  the  miner  in  any  one  year,  his  annual 
earnings  are  greater  than  the  annual  earnings  ot  the  miner  in  the  bitu¬ 
minous  field  for  the  same  number  of  hours.  •  ,, 

Fourth.  The  average  annual  earnings  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields 
are  much  less  than  the  average  annual  earnings  for  occupation  requn- 

ing  equal  skill  and  training.  it  .  ,  . 

To  answer  this  statement  we  beg  to  call  the  attention  of  your  hon- 
orable  Commission,  to  that  which  we  have  already  stated  with  regard 
to  the  amount  of  time  which  the  miner  puts  in  at  his  work.  As  we 
have  said,  the  miner  controls  absolutely  his  own  time,  lhe  rate  ot 
wages  he  is  paid  is  high  and  whether  his  bulked  earnings  for  a  year 
are  larger  or  smaller  than  those  of  occupations  requiring  equal  skill 
and  training  is  a  condition  for  which  the  time  the  miner  is  willing  to 
devote  to  his  work  is  responsible,  and  for  which  the  operatoi  in  no 

wise  can  be  held  to  account.  .  m  .  +fA 

Fifth.  The  rate  of  wages  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  is  insufficient  to 

compensate  the  mine  workers  in  view  of  the  dangerous  character  of 
the  occupation,  in  relation  to  accidents,  the  liability  to  permanent 
disease,  the  big  death  rate,  and  the  short  trade  life  incident  to  this 

6  W  e^ubmit  that  this  statement  is  misleading  and  incorrect,  (a)  The 
rate  of  wages  paid  in  the  anthracite  field  is  commensurate  with  the 
danger  of  the  occupation,  and  is  moreover  much  higher  than  the  late 
of  wages  paid  in  other  occupations  which  statistics  conclusively  prove 
are  more  hazardous,  (h)  So  far  as  the  deleterious  effect  of  coal  work 
on  the  general  health  of  the  miner  is  concerned,  we  beg  to  submit  a 
paper  herewith  attached  (Exhibit  A)  which  is  signed  by  a  number  of 

miners  employed  at  a  certain  colliery  in  this  city. 

% 

ATTENTION  VOTERS 

To  the  Voter v>  of  Lackawanna  County. 

We,  the  undersigned  miners  of  the  Sloan  mines,  do  hereby  recommen  or  your 
consideration  the  candidacy  and  nomination  of  Llewelyn  M.  Evans,  for  the  office  of 
mine  inspector,  we  as  men  employed  under  him  can  conscientiously  speak  of  him 
with  full  appreciation  of  his  worth  as  a  man  and  official;  we  hereby  testily  that  the 
general  condition  of  the  Sloan  mines  is  second  to  none,  the  ventilation  is  certainly 
perfect,  as  there  is  an  abundance  of  air  in  every  section  of  the  mines;  in  other  words, 

in  the  faces  of  the  chambers  where  the  men  are  employed. 

The  Sloan  mines  is  a  reopened  one  and  from  the  old  condition  it  has  been  com¬ 
pletely  transformed  to  the  pride  mines  of  the  anthracite  coal  fields,  and  Llewelyn 
M.  Evans  is  the  gentleman  who  accomplished  this  transformation.  Mr.  Evans  is  a 
skilled  and  competent  mining  surveyor  and  in  laying  out  the  mines  and  grading  the 
roads  he  has  done  this  work  with  much  pride  and  care;  there  is  not  a  place  on  the 
main  roads  where  the  men  and  boys  or  mules  need  get  their  feet  in  water;  there  is 
plenty  of  space  on  each  side  of  the  car  tracks  for  the  safety  of  the  men  and  boys  from 
the  danger  of  moving  cars,  and  the  driver  boys  can  turn  their  mule  around  a  car  wit  1 
safety  in  any  section  of  the  mines.  Mr.  Llewelyn  M.  Evans,  while  he  is  strict  and 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS. 


167 


careful,  he  is  decidedly  just.  He  having  had  twenty-one  years  of  practical  experi¬ 
ence  in  all  departments  of  mining,  from  door  boy  to  his  present  official  standing,  he 
is  a  competent  judge  of  good  work,  and  its  worth;  he  does  not  violate  any  agreement 
made  between  himself  and  his  men;  he  is  always  ready  to  grant  a  fair  day’s  pay  for 
a  fair  day’s  work;  he  has  passed  all  the  technical  examinations  pertaining  to  mining 

with  high  markings. 

The  voters  of  Lackawanna  County  are  well  aware  that  there  is  to  be  two  mine 
inspectors  nominated  and  elected,  and  in  consideration  of  Mr.  Llewelyn  M.  Evans’s 
fairness  between  the  workmen  and  the  company  and  his  practical  worth  and  ability, 
we,  the  undersigned  miners  of  the  Sloan  mines,  ask  with  all  fairness  to  Mr.  Evans, 
and  to  do  credit  to  the  office,  we  urge  each  and  every  voter  in  the  county  to  vote  for 
Llewelyn  M.  Evans  as  one  of  your  choice  for  the  important  office  of  mine  inspector. 

Republican  primaries  July  8,  1902,  from  4  to  7  p.  m. 

We,  the  undersigned,  have  worked  in  the  mines  the  number  of  years  as  follows. 


Respectfully, 


Miners  of  the  Sloan  Mines. 


Michael  J.  Hogan . 22  years. 

William  T.  Bonetto . 20 

Jno.W.  Lewis . 38 

Jno.  H.  Williams . 40 

J  as.  Davis . 45 

John  Loliskie . 10 

Owen  Davis . 50 

Watkin  Davis . 49 

Thos.  Moore . 17  “ 

Joseph  Bradbury . 24 

Richard  R.  Richards . 24 

W illiam  N.  Thomas . 20 

Franklin  Heller . 25  “ 

Lewis  J enkins . 1 1  ‘  ‘ 

Evan  Jenkins . 47 

W  illiam  J  ones . 45 

John  Price . 40 

J.  W.Laister . - . 36 

Thos.  J.  Davis . 38 

William  Jenkins . 45 

Jno.  T.  Howells . 30 

Richard  R.  Thomas . 22 

Wm.  E.  Lewis . 15 

Chas.  Charles . 46 

Thos.W.Noyle . 22  “ 

Wm.  J.  Morgan . 29 

Wm.  E.  Jones . 30 

Evan  T.  J  ones  . . 28 

Jno.  Hughes . 15 

Absalom  G.  Jones . 50  “ 

Robert  Stenner . 45 

Thos.  L.  Jones . 29 

David  J.  Williams . 38  “ 

Llewelyn  Davis . 30 

Jno.  T.  Lewis . ...50 

Wm.  Thomas . 10 

J  as.  Edmundson . 30 

Miles  Delmer . 50 

Jno.  T.  Davis . 15  “ 

Evan  Edmunds . 35  “ 

Henry  M.  Davis . 15  “ 

Owen  Jones . 30  “ 

Jno.  Jones . 30  “ 

Jno.  A.  Phillips . 30  “ 

Luke  Scott . 19  ‘  ‘ 

Edward  Bryant . 15 

Thos.  Jones . 27 


Michael  Joyce . 18  years. 

Owen  Williams . 20 

Morgan  D.  Hopkins . 33 

Toney  Friday . 12  “ 

Jno.  Butt . .-.—52  “ 

David  J.  Powell . 14 

Jno.  D.  Gallagher . 36 

Wm.  Charles . 32  “ 

Wm.  McNicholas . 37  “ 

David  M.  Davies . 16 

Walter  Delmer . 17  “ 

Jno.  Lewis . 18 

David  Reese . 21  “ 

Morgan  Lewis . 23  “ 

Wm.  N.  Lewis . 13  “ 

Solomon  Jones . 28  “ 

Thos.  W.  Jones . 45 

Wm.  J.  Davies . 25 

Gomer  Hughes . 35 

Patrick  Durkin . 20 

J  no.  W.  Gallagher . 36 

Jas.  McNicholas . 37 

Patrick  Barry . 15  “ 

John  McNiff . 20  “ 

Jerry  Driscoll  . . 43  “ 

Thos.  J.  Lamb . 17 

Wm.  Driscoll . 15  “ 

Jno.  Kenney . 21  “ 

John  Gallagher . 15  “ 

Mark  Provovich . 15 

David  Redmond . 50  “ 

Thos.  E.  Jones . 40  “ 

Thos.  Creans . 25 

John  Bartley . 25 

Mike  Liman . 15 

Edward  R.  Jenkins . 25 

Thos.  F.  Howells . 15  “ 

Lawrence  Burns . 50  “ 

Peter  Gallagher . 12 

Daniel  Hefferon  . . . 20 

William  Hopkins . 22 

Patrick  J.  Rainev . 25 

Thos.  Butler....' . 27  “ 

John  Carroll . 15  “ 

Steve  Boston . 15  “ 

Edward  Jenkins . . 24  “ 


168  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


Sixth.  The  annual  earnings  of  the  mine  workers  are  insufficient  to 

maintain  the  American  standard  of  living.  . 

We  have  already  shown  wherein  the  miner  himself  controls  entirely 
the  number  of  hours  which  he  shall  work,  and  so  directly  the  bulked 
earnings  which  he  receives  per  daj7  or  month.  Moieovei  we  claim, 
and  have  stated,  that  the  opportunity  is  afforded  the  miner  to  earn 
sufficient  wages  to  educate  his  children,  lay  aside  a  provision  for  his 
old  age,  and  live  meanwhile  according  to  the  American  standard.  If, 
with  these  conditions  obtaining  the  miner  does  not  live  according  to 
the  customary  American  standard,  we  believe  it  fair  to  assume  that 
the  manner  of  his  living  is  that  which  he  elects  as  his  own  standard. 
The  high  plane  of  American  living  is  due  entirely  to  the  thrift, 
industry  and  economy  of  the  great  mass  of  American  people. 

Seventh.  TKe  increased  cost  of  living  has  made  it  impossible  to 
maintain  a  fair  standard  of  life  upon  the  basis  of  present  wages,  and 
has  not  only  prevented  the  mine  workers  from  securing  any  benefit 
from  increased  prosperity,  but  has  made  their  condition  poorer  on 

account  of  it. 

In  answering  this  statement,  we  beg  to  refer  to  our  reply  to  the 
statement  immediately  preceding,  and  to  state  in  addition:  That  assum¬ 
ing  that  there  has  been  an  increase  in  the  cost  of  living,  it  is  an 
increase  which  falls  on  all  alike.  In  this,  the  miner’s  circumstances  are 
no  worse  than  those  of  others.  There  has  been  a  general  advance  in  wages 
in  the  past  two  years,  and  in  this  the  miner  has  shared  in  common 
with  the  other  trades.  Again  we  find  the  miner  on  relatively  the  same 
footing  as  others.  A  condition  exists,  however,  which  makes  the 
miner’s  condition  in  the  labor  world  preferable  to  that  of  the  follow¬ 
ers  of  other  occupations,  in  that  he  retains  to  himself  the  opportunity 
and  privilege  to  increase  his  daily  wage  by  his  own  effort,  to  a  much 
greater  extent  than  almost  any  other  skilled  workman. 

Eighth.  The  wages  of  the  anthracite  mine  workers  are  so  low  that 
their  children  are  prematurely  forced  into  the  breakers  and  mills 
instead  of  being  supported  and  educated  upon  the  earnings  of  their 


parents. 

This  statement  we  deny  absolutely.  Where  the  children  or  the 
miners  are  prematurely  forced  into  the  breakers  and  mills,  it  is  due 
entirely  to  the  disposition  of  the  parents,  for  the  fact  remains  that 
many  of  our  most  prominent  and  progressive  professional  and  business 
men  have  been  miners  themselves,  or  are  the  children  of  miners,  and 
in  their  educational  qualifications  they  are  easily  the  equals  of  their 
associates  whose  start  in  life  was  from  other  surroundings. 

Ninth.  Wages  are  below  the  fair  and  just  earnings  of  mine  workers 
in  this  industry. 

This  is  fully  answered  in  our  foregoing  answers  to  statements. 

Tenth.  The  ten-hour  day  is  detrimental  to  the  health,  life,  safety 
and  well-being  of  the  mine  workers. 

In  answering  this  question  we  beg  to  refer  your  honorable  Commis¬ 
sion  again  to  the  paper  marked  Exhibit  A. 

Whether  ten  hours’  work  per  day  is  detrimental  to  health,  life  and 
general  safety,  is  a  proposition  which  is  applicable  to  all  avocations, 
and  is  not  confined  to  that  of  mining  alone.  It  is  a  matter  to  be 
determined  by  statistical  research  and  the  opinions  of  physicians  and 
actuaries. 

Eleventh.  Shorter  hours  improve  the  physical,  mental  and  moral 
condition  of  the  workers. 


APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  169 

This  is  purely  a  sociological  question  with  which  the  coal  operators 
have  nothing  to  do.  By  this  we  do  not  desire  to  be  understood  as 
assuming  an  attitude  of  entire  indifference  to  the  physical  and  moral 
welfare  of  the  mine  workers,  but  we  reiterate  that  the  proposition  is 
one  which  sociologists  are  better  qualified  to  deal  with  than  business 
men.  The  operators’  concern  in  this  controversy  is  to  arrive  at  a 
satisfactory  basis  upon  which  the  mining  of  coal  can  be  proceeded 
with  by  the  payment  of  a  fair  rate  of  wages  to  the  mine  workers. 

Twelfth.  Shorter  hours  increase  the  intensity  and  efficiency  of 
labor. 

Another  sociological  question.  Shorter  hours  also  increase  the  cost 
of  production. 

Thirteenth.  The  tendency  of  National  and  State  governments,  of 
organized  trades  and  of  production  generally,  is  toward  shorter  hours. 

This  is  the  result  of  a  nearly  universal  disposition  among  men  to 
work  no  more  than  necessary  in  order  to  maintain  such  standard  of 
living  as  they  find  most  conducive  to  their  own  happiness. 

Fourteenth.  A  working  day  of  eight  hours  is  sufficiently  long  for 
the  best  interests  of  the  workingman  and  of  the  community. 

This  is  another  sociological  question. 

1.  Measurement  by  the  legal  ton  wherever  practicable  is  the  only 
honest  and  just  system  of  measuring  the  earnings  of  the  mine  workers. 

This  is  not  a  statement  of  fact,  and  it  must  be  admitted  without 
argument  that  it  is  just  as  fair  to  mine  coal  by  measure  as  by  weight. 

If  a  legal  ton  was  made  the  standard  in  ascertaining  the  earning  of 
the  miners  instead  of  the  present  practice  of  making  27i  hundred¬ 
weight  t6  30  hundredweight  the  standard,  it  would  not  make  the 
slightest  difference  in  the  miner’s  pay,  as  he  would  simply  be  paid  by 
the  hundredweight  instead  of  by  the  ton.  >1 

If  he  were  paid  the  same  price  for  20  hundredweight,  or  a  legal  ton, 
as  for  27^  to  30  hundredweight,  it  would  be  an  increase  of  40  to  50 
per  cent  in  wages,  and  we  submit  that  this  claim  for  a  legal  ton  is  a 
very  thinly  disguised  effort  to  secure  40  to  50  per  cent  advance  in 
wages. 

2.  When  the  operators  sell  or  transport  coal  it  is  on  the  basis  of  a 
legal  ton  of  2,240  pounds. 

The  question  at  issue  in  this  controversy  is  whether  the  miner  is 
receiving  fair  wages  for  the  labor  he  performs,  and  we  submit  that 
this  question  does  not  enter  into  the  controversy  at  all. 

3.  The  excessive  ton  was  originally  intended  to  compensate  the 
operator  for  the  waste  of  the  small  sizes  of  coal  which  were  discarded, 
but  which  are  now  utilized  and  sold,  and  therefore  there  is  no  present 
necessity  for  the  use  of  any  other  than  the  legal  ton. 

This  statement  has  no  bearing  on  the  question  at  issue.  If  we  under¬ 
stand  aright,  the  questions  before  your  honorable  Commission  are  to 
determine  whether  the  mine  worker  is  receiving  a  fair  and  just  return 
for  his  labor.  In  the  adjustment  of  this  question  we  believe  that  the 
only  points  to  be  considered  are:  (a)  The  nature  and  character  of  the 
work  performed;  (h)  the  hours  of  employment;  ( c )  the  wages  paid, 
both  with  respect  to  the  cost  of  living,  and  in  comparison  with  the  rate 
of  wages  paid  to  other  skilled  labor. 

These  questions  we  have  answered,  but  we  again  respectfully  sub¬ 
mit  that  the  above  statement  is  irrelevant  and  not  a  question  at  issue 
or  of  concern  to  the  mine  workers.  We,  however,  might  note,  that 
when  this  standard  was  established,  the  market  took  from  20  to  40  per 


170  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

cent  of  lump  coal  and  a  large  percentage  of  grate  coal,  but  owing  to 
changes  in  methods  of  burning,  and  the  substitution  of  soft  coal  and 
coke  in  iron  making,  the  demand  for  lump  and  grate  coal  has  practi¬ 
cally  disappeared.  Now  we  only  have  market  for  egg,  stove,  nut  and 
the  smaller  sizes.  The  grinding  down  of  the  lump  and  the  grate  to 
the  smaller  sizes  entails  a  waste  equal  to  the  gain  made  by  the  selling 
of  the  smaller  sizes.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  records  of  many  com¬ 
panies  show  that  27i  to  30  hundredweight,  according  to  the  different 
kinds  of  coal  is  barely  sufficient,  owing  to  the  breakage  in  preparation 
and  foreign  substances  sent  out  in  the  car,  which  run  from  20  to  10 
per  cent,  to  produce  a  ton  of  marketable  coal,  including  pea  and  buck¬ 
wheat. 

1.  The  adoption  of  this  system  would  remove  an  incentive,  both  to 
the  operator  and  the  worker,  to  cheating  and  dishonesty,  and  would 
allay  jealousy  among  the  miners  and  prevent  unjust  discrimination 
and  favoritism. 

This  is  an  absurd  statement,  and  does  not  enter  into  the  question  in 
controversy  at  all.  It  is  as  easy  to  cheat,  if  the  desire  to  do  so  is  pres¬ 
ent,  in  weight  as  in  measure,  and  it  is  impossible  to  keep  a  dishonest 
man  honest. 

5.  The  change  of  the  present  system  to  the  one  asked  for  would 
prove  a  strong  factor  in  allaying  suspicion  and  discontent  among  the 
mine  workers. 

This  is  simply  a  repetition  of  a  former  demand,  and  we  desire  to 
reiterate  as  we  have  stated  in  our  answers  to  former  demands,  that  it 
is  a  poorly  disguised  effort  on  their  part  to  secure  an  advance  of  20  to 
50  per  cent  in  the  price  for  their  labor  in  addition  to  the  demand  for 
20  per  cent  in  wages  which  they  have  already  made,  and  thereby 
increase  a  wage  scale  already  above  that  of  other  employments  requir¬ 
ing  vastly  greater  skill  and  intelligence  and  years  of  apprenticeship  at 
extremely  low  wages,  as  against  a  short  term  of  apprenticeship  at  high 
wages  required  to  make  an  efficient  miner. 

1.  The  anthracite  mine  workers  should  not  be  compelled  to  make  or 
sign  individual  agreements,  but  have  the  right  to  form  such  organi¬ 
zations  and  choose  such  agents  and  officers  as  they  desire,  to  act  col¬ 
lectively  instead  of  individually  wherever  they  deem  that  their  best 
interests  are  subserved  thereby. 

We  do  not  deny  the  right  of  our  employees  to  organize  for  purposes 
of  mutual  advantage  and  benefit  to  themselves,  and  to  act  collectively 
when  their  best  interests  may  be  served  thereby.  But  we  do  deny  the 
right  of  any  interference  with  the  individual  for  the  purpose  of  pre¬ 
venting  him  from  entering  into  any  agreement  he  may  see  fit  for  the 
sale  of  his  labor,  a  right  guaranteed  him  under  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States. 

2.  Agreements  between  employers  and  employees  through  work¬ 
ingmen’s  organizations  and  the  ordinary  method  of  regulating  pro¬ 
duction  and  wages  in  the  bituminous  coal  field  and  in  other  large 
industries  are  beneficial,  successful  and  in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of 
the  times. 

This  is  absolutely  disputed  by  the  operators  in  the  bituminous 
region. 

3.  Unions  of  working  men  tend  to  better  discipline  among  the  men 
and  to  the  improvement  of  their  physical,  moral  and  mental  condition, 
and  to  the  preservation  of  friendly  relations  between  the  employer 
and  employee. 


•  APPENDIX  A. - THE  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  STATEMENTS.  l7l 

To  the  statement  that  labor  unions  improve  both  the  morals  and 
discipline  of  their  members,  we  answer,  that  this,  may  be  true  when 
applied  to  some  organizations.  But  when  applied  to  the  miners’ 
union  as  now  conducted,  we  enter  a  most  emphatic  denial,  and  propose 
to  introduce  evidence  showing  that  prior  to  the  advent  of  the  organi¬ 
zation  known  as  the  United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  it  was  con¬ 
sidered  bad  form  to  kill  or  maim  a  citizen  who  attempted  to  exercise 
the  right  to  sell  his  labor,  guaranteed  him  under  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States.  We  also  propose  to  show  that  the  vast  number  of 
brutal  murders  and  beatings  committed  during  the  past  five  months 
show  that  the  teachings  of  the  miners’  union  has  brought  about  such 
moral  obliquity  as  to  cause  its  members  to  believe  themselves  justified 
in  these  acts  of  violence,  and  we  will  prove  that  the  officers  and  the 
members  of  this  union  have  justified  this  course  by  defending  both  by 
counsel  and  by  procuring  bail  those  who  have  been  guilty  of  these 
atrocious  acts.  In  regard  to  discipline,  we  offer  to  prove  that  the 
dictation  of  the  miners’  union  as  to  whom  we  should  hire,  and  par¬ 
ticularly  as  to  whom  we  should  discharge,  has  resulted  in  such  abso¬ 
lute  and  continued  insubordination  of  employees  in  the  anthracite 
mines  as  to  bring  about  absolute  reduction  in  efficiency  of  from  10  to 
20  per  cent.  This  can  be  conclusively  proven  by  the  daily  production 
per  man  as  shown  by  the  mine  inspector’s  report  of  1899,  and  com¬ 
pared  to  the  same  production  of  1901.  These  statistics  in  some 
instances  show  a  falling  off  of  20  per  cent,  entirely  due  to  lack  of 
ability  to  enforce  discipline  by  discharge. 

4.  Experience  shows  that  the  trade  agreement  is  the  only  effective 
method  by  which  it  is  possible  to  regulate  questions  arising  between 
emplover  and  employed  in  large  industries,  and  that  a  trade  agree¬ 
ment  is  the  only  possible  way  to  establish  the.  relations  between  the 
employer  and  the  wage  worker  in  the  anthracite  field  on  a  just  and 
permanent  basis,  and  as  far  as  possible  to  do  away  with  any  cause  for 
the  recurrence  of  such  difficulties  as  those  you  now  (the  Anthracite 
Coal  Strike  Commission)  have  been  called  in  to  settle. 

We  deny  this  statement  and  offer  to  show  that  for  twenty  years 
prior  to  the  advent  of  the  miners’  union,  the  miners  had  been  able  to 
maintain  a  standard  of  hour  wages  higher  than  any  other  class  of 
employees  without  regard  to  skill  required.  This  they  have  done 
during  long  periods  of  depression  in  business.  We  will  show  that 
during  some  of  these  periods  the  bituminous  miners  have  been  forced 
to  accept  as  low  as  $1  per  day,  while  at  the  same  time  the  men  engaged 
in  anthracite  mining  received  from  40  cents  to  $1  per  hour.  We  will 
show  that  this  scale  of  wages  has  been  maintained  without  the  help  or 
assistance  of  any  labor  union  or  organization  whatever,  and  practically 
without  strikes  or  lockouts.  We  will  also  show  that  since  the  advent 
of  the  miners’  union  we  have  had  seven  months  of  complete  idleness, 
and  many,  many  days  and  weeks  of  idleness  at  individual  collieries  as 
the  result  of  the  attempt  of  the  miners’  union  to  manage  and  control  the 
operators’  business  in  the  matter  of  hiring  and  discharging  men.  We 
believe  that  we  will  be  able  to  prove  such  tremendous  losses  of  life 
and  money  as  the  direct  results  of  the  methods  of  this  particulai  union 
as  to  convince  your  honorable  Commission  that  it  is  inexpedient  to  do 
any  act  which  may  contribute  to  its  continued  existence. 

I.  H.  Burns, 

H.  C.  Reynolds, 

Attorneys . 


\ 


APPENDIX  B. 


EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS  AND 
OF  EMPLOYEES  PAID  BY  DAY, 
WEEK,  OR  MONTH. 


173 


r 


. 


f 


. 


APPENDIX  B. 


EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS  AND  OF  EMPLOYEES  PAID 

BY  DAY,  WEEK,  OR  MONTH. 

METHODS  OF  PAYMENT  AND  EXPLANATION  OF  WAGE 

STATEMENTS. 

Prior  to  the  organization  of  the  Commission  a  very  large  amount  of 
work  had  been  done  by  some  of  the  companies  who  were  parties  to  the 
submission,  in  the  preparation  of  statements  showing  the  earnings  of 
their  employees.  This  work  was  carried  on  independently,  and  as  a 
result  the  statements  prepared  and  presented  in  response  to  the  request 
of  the  Commission,  while  entirely  sufficient  for  its  purposes,  were 
made  up  on  different  bases  and  in  such  different  forms  as  not  to  be 
given  readily  in  one  general  tabulation. 

The  statements  showing  the  earnings  of  contract  miners ,  made  up  by 
the  Lehigh  Valley  and  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  companies, 
embraced  only  those  miners  who  worked  throughout  the  year  for  these 
companies,  respectively,  and  whose  names  appear  on  the  pay  rolls  for 
each  of  the  twelve  months.  The  statements  of  the  Delaware,  Lacka¬ 
wanna  and  Western,  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading,  and  the  Hillside 
companies  include  all  contract  miners  appearing  on  their  rolls,  irrespec¬ 
tive  of  how  short  a  time  they  may  have  worked.  This  results  in  a 
correspondingly  larger  proportion  of  men  in  the  lower  groups  in  the 
statements  of  these  companies  than  is  the  case  in  the  statements  of  the 
companies  first  named.  This  must  be  taken  into  account  in  any  com¬ 
parison  of  the  different  tables,  as  the  earnings  shown  in  the  lower 
groups,  in  the  statements  of  those  companies  which  included  all  their 
miners,  do  not  necessarily  represent  annual  earnings.  The  average 
days  worked  by  the  miners  in  these  lower  groups,  as  is  shown  by  the 
second  column,  are  so  few  as  to  represent  only  a  few  months1  work. 
These  same  miners  may  have  worked  the  remainder  of  the  year  in  the 
collieries  of  other  companies,  and  if  it  were  possible  to  know  the 
amount  earned  by  them  from  different  companies,  their  annual  earn¬ 
ings  might  be  found  to  be  considerably  higher  than  appears  from  any 
one  statement. 

Some  difficulty  was  met  in  the  effort  to  ascertain  accurately  the 
annual  earnings  of  contract  miners,  owing  to  their  different  systems  of 
carrying  on  their  work.  The  contract  miner ,  as  has  been  pointed  out 
in  the  report,  is  an  independent  contractor  who  employs  one  or  more 
assistants.  The  more  general  practice  is  for  each  miner  to  occupy  one 
chamber  and  to  hire  one  laborer  to  load  the  coal  into  the  mine  cars. 
In  some  cases  the  miner  has  no  laborer  and  loads  his  own  coal,  while 
in  others  a  single  miner  may  have  several  laborers.  In  a  still  larger 
number  of  cases  two  miners  work  together  as  partners,  assisted  by  one 
or  several  laborers;  and  in  still  other  instances  a  single  miner  works 

175 


176  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

with  one  or  more  assistant  miners  and  a  number  of  laborers.  Some 
of  the  companies  have  on  their  books  the  name  of  each  miner  where 
two  or  more  are  working  under  one  contract,  and  they  pay  to  each  his 
proportionate  share  of  the  joint  earnings;  and  they  also  require  the 
miner  to  state  the  amount  due  to  his  laborer  or  laborers,  and  they 
deduct  this  amount  from  the  miner’s  earnings  and  pay  it  directly  to 
the  laborer.  This  is  the  practice  of  the  Lehigh  Valley,  Lehigh  and 
Wilkesbarre,  Philadelphia  and  Reading,  and  the  Scranton  Coal  Com¬ 
pany.  These  companies  have,  therefore,  on  their  books  an  accurate 
record  of  the  actual  net  earnings  remaining  to  each  miner  on  then- 
books  after  paying  his  assistants.  , 

The  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western,  the  Hillside,  the  Pennsyl¬ 
vania,  the  Delaware  and  Hudson,  and  the  Temple  Iron  Company  carry 
on  their  books  the  single  miner  in  whose  name  the  contract  stands, 
irrespective  of  how  many  men  may  be  in  the  group  that  does  the  work 
under  that  contract,  and  they  pay  over  to  him  the  entire  amount 
earned,  leaving  it  to  him  to  pay  his  assistants  their  respective  shares. 

The  almost  universal  practice,  however,  in  the  mines  of  the  Dela¬ 
ware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  and  the  Hillside  companies  is  for  eac 
miner  to  work  assisted  bv  a  single  laborer.  A  careful  investigation 
made  at  their  collieries  during  the  sittings  of  the  Commission  showed 
that  the  laborer  received,  as  an  average,  36  per  cent  of  the  gross  earn¬ 
ings  of  the  miner.  The  statements  showing  the  earnings  of  the  con¬ 
tract  miners  of  these  two  companies  have  been  made  upon  this  basis 
of  distribution  of  earnings  between  miner  and  laborer,  and  ma}r  be 

taken  as  substantially  correct.  #  .  n  .  ,  , ,  ^ 

There  is  no  uniform  method  of  working  m  the  mines  of  the  Penn¬ 
sylvania  Coal  Company  or  the  Temple  Iron  Company  or  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Company.  The  practice  of  groups  of  two,  three,  tom, 
or  even  more  men  working  under  a  single  contract  was  found  to  be 
so  common  as  to  render  it  impossible  by  the  adoption  of  any  average 
percentage  of  distribution  between  miner  and  laborer— -as  was  prac¬ 
ticable  in  the  cases  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  and 
the  Hillside  companies— to  tabulate  the  actual  net  earnings  of  contract 
miners  with  any  approach  to  accuracy.  These  companies  filed  all  the 
available  data  shown  by  their  books  for  the  information  of  the  Com¬ 
mission,- and  a  careful  examination  of  this  indicates  that  the  tabula¬ 
tions  of  earnings  of  contract  miners  here  published  aie  thoroughly 
representative. 

The  figures  given  in  the  wage  tables  m  the  following  pages  are  made 
up  from  data  furnished  to  the  Commission  by  the  several  mining 

companies.  .  . 

The  tables  showing  earnings  of  contract  miners  contain  a  column 

showing  the  number  of  days  the  breakers  started.  This  is  equivalent 
to  the  number  of  days  on  which  the  colliery  began  operations,  and 
may  be  taken  as  showing  the  number  of  da}7s  on  which  the  opportunity 
to  work  was  offered  the  miner.  As  a  rule,  the  work  of  the  miner  is 
limited  by  the  time  the  breakers  are  in  operation.  This  is  also  true 
of  the  greater  part  of  the  men  and  boys  employed  by  the  day,  week, 
or  month,  the  work  of  only  a  very  few  classes  being  entirely  inde¬ 
pendent  of  breaker  time.  . 

The  following  table  shows,  by  collieries,  the  average  annual  earnings 

of  all  contract  miners  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company  whose 
names  appeared  on  the  pay  rolls  of  their  respective  collieries^  each  and 
every  month  in  the  year  1901,  together  with  the  number  of  days  the 


APPENDIX  B. - EARNINGS  OF  MINE  WORKERS. 


177 


0 

breaker  started  in  each  colliery,  the  average  number  of  days  on  which 
the  miners  worked,  the  per  cent  of  breaker  starts  worked  by  miners, 
the  average  daily  earnings,  and  the  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of 
contract  miners  reported  who  were  employed  in  each  colliery: 

AVERAGE  ANNUAL  AND  DAILY  EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS 
WORKING  THROUGHOUT  THE  YEAR  1901,  AND  AVERAGE  DAYS  ON 
WHICH  MINERS  WORKED,  FOR  EACH  COLLIERY  OF  THE  LEHIGH 
VALLEY  COAL  COMPANY. 


Collieries. 

Miners. 

Days 

breaker 

started. 

Average 
days  on 
which 
miners 
worked. 

Per  cent 
of  break¬ 
er  starts 
worked 
by 

miners. 

Average 

annual 

earn¬ 

ings. 

Average 

daily 

earn¬ 

ings. 

Per  cent 
of  total 
miners 
re¬ 
ported. 

FTn.zieton  shaft . 

41 

288 

256 

88.9 

§667. 27 

$2.  61 

4.5 

TTa.zleton  No.  1  . 

85 

284 

257 

90.5 

656. 41 

2.55 

9.2 

Packer  No.  3 .  _ . 

49 

268 

231 

86.2 

644.  32 

2.80 

5.3 

Exeter . . 

77 

276 

252 

91.3 

595.  74 

2. 36 

8.3 

Primrose  . 

10 

253 

212 

83.8 

594.  75 

2. 81 

1.1 

William.  A . 

126 

280 

254 

90.7 

587. 18 

2.31 

13.7 

Dorrance . 

74 

273 

243 

89.0 

576. 26 

2.38 

8.0 

Packer  No.  2 . 

12 

282 

231 

81.9 

566.  21 

2.45 

1.3 

Packer  No.  ft . 

27 

247 

211 

85.4 

565. 17 

2.  68 

2.9 

Heidelberg  No.  2 . 

33 

264 

245 

92.8 

563. 99 

2.30 

3.6 

Ren  era, . 

87 

290 

239 

82.4 

546.  87 

2.29 

9.4 

Franklin . 

52 

222 

193 

86.9 

536. 10 

2.78 

5.6 

TTeid  el  berg  No.  1 . 

30 

266 

236 

88.7 

527. 86 

2.24 

3.3 

TTenry . 

46 

268 

239 

89.2 

522. 38 

2. 19 

5.0 

f!entxa,lia, . 

53 

236 

211 

89.4 

522. 34 

2.48 

5.7 

Prosneet  . 

63 

268 

229 

85.4 

501.43 

2. 19 

6.8 

ftnriner  Tlrook . 

58 

230 

194 

84.3 

465.  37 

2. 40 

6.3 

Average . 

923 

264 

236 

89.4 

568. 17 

2. 41 

100.0 

1 

The  next  table  shows  by  collieries  the  average  annual  earnings  of  all 
contract  miners  of  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company  whose 
names  appeared  on  the  pay  rolls  of  their  respective  collieries  each  and 
every  month  in  the  year  1901,  together  with  the  number  of  days  the 
breaker  started  in  each  colliery,  the  average  number  of  days  on  which 
the  miners  worked,  the  per  cent  of  breaker  starts  worked  by  miners, 
the  average  daily  earnings,  the  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  con¬ 
tract  miners  reported  who  were  employed  in  each  colliery: 

AVERAGE  ANNUAL  AND  DAILY  EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS 
WORKING  THROUGHOUT  THE  YEAR  1901,  AND  AVERAGE  DAYS  ON 
WHICH  MINERS  WORKED,  FOR  EACH  COLLIERY  OF  THE  LEHIGH 
AND  WILKESBARRE  COAL  COMPANY. 


Collieries. 

Miners. 

Days 

breaker 

started. 

Average 
days  on 
which 
miners 
worked. 

Per  cent 
of  break¬ 
er  starts 
worked 
by 

miners. 

Average 

annual 

earn¬ 

ings. 

Average 

daily 

earn¬ 

ings. 

Percent 
of  total 
miners 
reported. 

Smith  Wilkesbarre . 

121 

276 

250 

90.6 

§686. 08 

§2.74 

11.1 

T.ance  . 

111 

277 

258 

93.1 

667. 09 

2.59 

10.2 

Maxwell  . 

80 

271 

242 

89.3 

627.  33 

2. 57 

7.4 

Revnolds  .  . . 

64 

272 

254 

93.4 

609. 21 

2. 40 

5.9 

Nntt.inp'ha.m  . 

222 

275 

255 

92.7 

593.  93 

2.33 

20.4 

Andenried  . 

78 

268 

237 

88.4 

577.58 

2.43 

7.2 

Wanamie  . 

81 

263 

234 

89.0 

574.  33 

2. 46 

7.4 

TTol lpnhpok  Nn,  9,  _  . 

116 

244 

234 

95.9 

564. 27 

2.41 

10.7 

Hnnev  Prnnk  . 

43 

268 

232 

86.5 

561. 58 

2. 42 

3.9 

Snear  Nnteh  . 

69 

239 

209 

87.4 

509.  51 

2.44 

6.3 

Rta.nton  . 

103 

190 

185 

97.4 

451.  07 

2.44 

9.5 

A  vera.ge.  . 

1,088 

258 

238 

92.2 

589. 05 

2.47 

100.0 

S.  Doc.  6 


12 


178  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

% 

The  following  table  shows,  by  groups,  the  annual  earnings  of  all 
contract  miners  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company,  whose  names 
appeared  on  the  pay  rolls  of  their  respective  collieries  each  and  every 
month  in  the  year  i901,  together  with  the  average  number  of  days  on 
which  miners  worked,  the  per  cent  of  breaker  starts  worked  by  miners, 
the  average  daily  earnings  of  each  group,  and  the  per  cent  of  the  total 
miners  reported  who  were  in  each  group: 


ANNUAL  AND  AVERAGE  DAILY  EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS 
WORKING  THROUGHOUT  THE  YEAR  1901,  AND  AVERAGE  DAYS  ON 
WHICH  MINERS  WORKED,  CLASSIFIED  BY  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  FOR 
THE  LEHIGH  VALLEY  COAL  COMPANY. 


Classified  annual  earnings. 

Miners. 

Average 
days  on 
which 
miners 
worked. 

Per  cent 
of  break¬ 
er  starts 
worked 
by 

miners. 

Per  cent 
of  total 
miners 
reported. 

Average 

daily 

earnings. 

10 

254 

97 

1.1 

10 

252 

96 

1.1 

$3.77 

33 

258 

98 

3.6 

3. 29 

93 

250 

95 

10.1 

3.00 

204 

249 

95 

22.1 

2.  61 

295 

238 

91 

31.9 

2. 31 

176 

221 

84 

19.1 

2.04 

ttQOO  nr  lindpr  $4 00  . 

76 

206 

78 

8.2 

1.70 

16 

185 

70 

1.7 

1. 35 

Under  $200  . 

10 

159 

60 

1.1 

A  vprapp  . 

923 

236 

89 

100.0 

2.41 

— 

The  following  table  shows,  by  groups,  the  annual  earnings  of  all  con¬ 
tract  miners  of  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company,  whose  names 
ajjpeared  on  the  pay  rolls  of  their  respective  collieries  each  and  every 
month  in  the  year  1901  (or  each  month  the  colliery  was  in  operation), 
together  with  the  average  number  of  days  on  which  miners  worked, 
the  per  cent  of  breaker  starts  worked  by  miners,  the  average  daily 
earnings  of  each  group,  and  the  per  cent  of  the  total  miners  reported  who 
were  in  each  group: 


ANNUAL  AND  AVERAGE  DAILY  EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS 
WORKING  THROUGHOUT  THE  YEAR  1901,  AND  AVERAGE  DAYS  ON 
WHICH  MINERS  WORKED,  CLASSIFIED  BY  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  FOR 
THE  LEHIGH  AND  WILKESBARRE  COAL  COMPANY. 


Classified  annual  earnings. 

Miners. 

Average 
days  on 
which 
miners 
worked. 

Per  cent 
of  break¬ 
er  starts 
worked 
by 

miners. 

Per  cent 
of  total 
miners 
reported. 

Average 

daily 

earnings. 

9 

273 

106 

0.8 

28 

263 

102 

2.6 

$3. 60 

ttftOn  nr  rmH  or  MOO  . 

58 

255 

99 

5.3 

3.33 

ft700  nr  nnrlpr  iftROO  . . . 

123 

255 

99 

11.3 

2.94 

MOO  nr  vm<i  or  $700 

238 

248 

96 

21.9 

2.62 

$f\00  nr  nn^PT’  $000  . . 

340 

241 

93 

31.2 

2.28 

<1400  nr  nnrlpr  ft.600  . 

193 

224 

87 

17.7 

2. 01 

$ROO  nr  nndpr  $400  . 

80 

195 

76 

7.4 

1.80 

<t900  nr  nnrlor  8800 

15 

169 

66 

1.4 

1.48 

Under  $200 . 

4 

169 

65 

.4 

Average . 

1,088 

238 

92 

100.0 

2.47 

APPENDIX  B. 


EARNINGS  OE  MINE  WORKERS. 


179 


The  following  table  shows,  by  groups,  the  earnings  of  all  contract 
miners  who  worked  for  any  period  during  the  year  ending  October  31, 
1901,  in  nine  selected  collieries  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal 
and  Iron  Company,  together  with  the  average  number  of  days  on  which 
miners  worked,  the  per  cent  of  breaker  starts  worked  by  miners,  the 
average  daily  earnings  of  each  group,  and  the  per  cent  of  the  total 
miners  who  were  in  each  group: 

ANNUAL  AND  AVERAGE  DAILY  EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS  AND 
AVERAGE  DAYS  ON  WHICH  MINERS  WORKED,  FOR  YEAR  ENDING 
OCTOBER  31,  1901,  CLASSIFIED  BY  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  FOR  NINE 
SELECTED  COLLIERIES  OF  THE  PHILADELPHIA  AND  READING  COAL 
AND  IRON  COMPANY. 


Classified  annual  earnings. 

Miners. 

Average 
days  on 
which 
miners 
worked. 

Per  cent 
of  break¬ 
er  starts 
worked 
by 

miners. 

Per  cent 
of  total 
miners. 

Average 

daily 

earnings. 

(a) 

$1,000  or  "over . 

24 

266 

102 

1.3 

$900  or  under  $1,000 . 

32 

254 

97 

1.7 

$3. 74 

$800  or  under  $900  . 

46 

250 

96 

2.5 

3.40 

$700  or  under  $800  . 

86 

245 

94 

4.7 

3. 06 

$600  or  under  $700  . 

130 

231 

88 

7.0 

2.81 

$500  or  under  $600  . 

188 

215 

82 

10.2 

2. 56 

$400  or  under  $500  . 

140 

181 

69 

7.6 

2.  49 

$300  or  under  $400  . 

136 

143 

55 

7.4 

2. 45 

$200  or  under  $300  . 

160 

103 

39 

8.7 

2. 42 

Under  $200 . 

901 

28 

11 

48.9 

Average . 

1,843 

111 

42 

100.0 

2. 75 

a  The  average  earnings  of  contract  miners  in  the  9  collieries  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Co. 
embraced  in  this  table  are  approximately  10  per  cent  higher  than  the  average  earnings  in  the  entire 
37  collieries  of  this  company. 


The  following  table  shows  by  groups  the  earnings  of  all  contract 
miners  who  worked  for  any  period  during  the  year  1901  in  any  of  the 
19  collieries  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Com¬ 
pany,  together  with  the  average  number  of  days  on  which  miners 
worked,  the  per  cent  of  breaker  starts  worked  by  miners,  the  average 
daily  earnings  of  each  group,  and  the  per  cent  of  the  total  miners 
who  were  in  each  group: 

ANNUAL  AND  AVERAGE  DAILY  EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS  AND 
AVERAGE  DAYS  ON  WHICH  MINERS  WORKED,  FOR  YEAR  1901,  CLAS¬ 
SIFIED  BY  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  FOR  THE  DELAWARE,  LACKAWANNA 
AND  WESTERN  RAILROAD  COMPANY. 


Classified  annual  earnings. 

Miners. 

Average 
days  on 
which 
miners 
worked. 

Per  cent 
of  break¬ 
er  starts 
worked 
by 

miners. 

Per  cent 
of  total 
miners. 

Average 

daily 

earnings. 

$1  000  or  over . 

56 

251 

96 

1.6 

« 

$900  or  under  $1,000 . 

44 

257 

98 

1.3 

$3. 70 

$800  or  under  $900  . 

104 

259 

99 

3.0 

3.28 

$700  or  under  $800  . 

303 

266 

102 

8.8 

2.82 

$600  or  under  $700  . 

639 

260 

99 

18.6 

2.50 

$500  or  under  $600  . 

761 

245 

93 

22.2 

2.24 

$400  or  under  $500  . 

433 

213 

81 

12.6 

2.11 

$300  or  under  $400  . 

313 

170 

65 

9.1 

2. 06 

$200  or  under  $300  . 

231 

122 

47 

6.7 

2.05 

Under  $200 . 

554 

50 

19 

16.1 

Average . 

3,438 

200 

76 

100.0 

2.  36 

180  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


i  The  next  table  shows,  by  groups,  the  earnings  of  all  contract  miners 
who  worked  for  any  period  during  the  twelve  months  ending  March  31, 
1902  in  the  collieries  of  the  Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Company  ,  together 
with  the  average  number  of  days  on  which  miners  worked,  the  per 
cent  of  breaker  starts  worked  by  miners,  the  average  daily  earnings 
of  each  group,  and  the  per  cent  of  total  miners  who  were  in  each  group: 


ANNUAL  AND  AVERAGE  DAILY  EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS 
<\ND  AVFRAGE  DAYS  ON  WHICH  MINERS  WORKED,  FOR  NEAR  END- 
MARCH  31,  1902,  CLASSIFIED  BY  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  FOR  THE 
HILLSIDE  COAL  A!ND  IRON  COMPANY. 


Classified  annual  earnings. 

Miners. 

Average 
days 
on  which 
miners 
worked. 

Per  cent 
of  break¬ 
er  starts 
worked 
by 

miners. 

Per  cent 
of  total 
miners. 

Average 

daily 

earnings. 

. - - - — — - — 

24 

210 

83 

2.4 
.8 

2.0 

3.5 
10.8 

84.22 

3.95 

8 

225 

89 

uu  or  h unci  «ipi,wu. . 

20 

215 

85 

36 

216 

85 

3. 47 

ty/uu  or  ii livid  »tpov/v/ . * . 

109 

226 

89 

z.  87 

136 

215 

85 

13.4 

15.7 

2. 5b 
2.36 
2. 17 
2.36 

IjfiA/U  OT  till vld  sfv\A/  . 

159 

191 

75 

$4UU  or  uiitid  . . 

117 

161 

64 

11.6 

9.4 

ift'oUvj  or  uiitid  . . 

95 

106 

42 

307 

41 

16 

30.  4 

1,011 

143 

57 

100.0 

2.57 

1 

.... 

- ; - 

The  next  table  shows,  by  groups,  the  earnings  of  all  contract  miners 
who  worked  for  any  period  during  the  year  ending  April  30,  1902,  in 
any  of  the  collieries  of  the  Scranton  Coal  Company,  together  with  the 
average  number  of  months  worked  by  each  group  and  the  per  cent  ot 
total  miners  who  were  in  each  group: 


CLASSIFIED  ANNUAL  EARNINGS  OF  CONTRACT  MINERS  OF  THE  SCRAN¬ 
TON  COAL  COMPANY  FOR  YEAR  ENDING  APRIL  30,  1902,  AND  AVER¬ 
AGE  MONTHS  WORKED. 


Classified  annual  earnings. 

Miners. 

Average 

months 

worked. 

Per  cent 
of  total 
miners. 

1 

12.0 

0.0 

3 

11.6 

.1 

IpylK)  <JI  UUaer  Hpl,Uv/t/ . 

21 

11.8 

1. 0 

74 

11.8 

3.6 

175 

11.7 

8.5 

220 

11.1 

10.7 

211 

10.7 

10.2 

219 

9.0 

10.6 

243 

6.3 

11.8 

899 

2.3 

43. 5 

2,066 

100.0 

The  following  table  shows,  by  groups,  the  average  rates  of  pay  per 
10-hour  day,  the  average  number  of  10-hour  days  worked,  and  the 
average  annual  earnings  of  men  and  boys  employed  by  the  day,  week, 
or  month,  during  the  year  ending  October  31, 1901,  at  the  collieries  of 
the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company.  This  table 
does  not  include  contract  miners: 


APPENDIX  B. 


EA3USTINGS  OF  MINE  WORKERS. 


181 


AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  RATES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY,  AND  10-HOUR 
DAYS  WORKED  DURING  YEAR  ENDING  OCTOBER  31,  1901,  FOR  EACH 
OCCUPATION  AT  COLLIERIES  OF  THE  PHILADELPHIA  AND  READING 
COAL  AND  IRON  COMPANY. 


Occupations. 


Stablemen . 

Engineers  and  pumpmen 

Carpenters . 

Firemen . 

Blacksmiths . 

Lamp  men . 

Company  miners . 

Miners’  laborers . 

Repair  men . 

Chute  starters . 

Bottom  men . 

Timbermen . 

Chute  bosses . 

Road  men . 

Loaders . 

Topmen . 

Laborers . 

Plane  men . 

Drivers  and  runners . 

Tip  men . 

Platform  men . 

Rock  men . 

Oilers . 

Spraggers . 

Switchmen . 

Door  boys . 

Slate  pickers . 

Average . 


Number 
of  men 
and  boys. 

Average 
rate  per 
10-hour 
day.« 

Average 

10-hour 

days 

worked.a 

Average 

annual 

earnings. 

129 

$1.89 

365 

$689. 52 

402 

2.02 

339 

685. 72 

158 

2.20 

274 

603. 90 

395 

1.79 

332 

594.  36 

139 

2.05 

272 

557. 43 

30 

1.97 

281 

554. 30 

760 

2.31 

237 

547.38 

2,329 

2.05 

262 

538. 58 

'464 

2. 14 

241 

516. 70 

273 

2.17 

229 

496. 88 

321 

2.00 

235 

470. 00 

168 

1.97 

236 

464.28 

224 

1.73 

266 

461. 14 

226 

2.00 

225 

450. 47 

1,286 

1.90 

229 

434. 40 

133 

1. 68 

244 

409. 19 

1,986 

1.72 

231 

397. 19 

161 

1.79 

221 

396. 20 

1,129 

1.69 

225 

380. 55 

101 

1.63 

233 

379. 70 

400 

1.64 

228 

373. 33 

171 

1.53 

228 

348. 84 

72 

1.39 

242 

336. 45 

136 

1.27 

225 

285. 65 

64 

1.11 

215 

238. 27 

415 

.95 

229 

217.  64 

3,771 

.93 

226 

210. 10 

15, 843 

1.66 

242 

402. 37 

The  following  table  shows,  by  groups,  the  average  rates  of  pay  per 
10-hour  day,  the  average  number  of  10-hour  days  worked,  and  the 
average  annual  earnings  of  men  and  boys  employed  by  the  day,  week, 
or  month  during  the  year  ending  April  30,  1902,  at  the  collieries  of 
the  Temple  Iron  Company.  This  table  does  not  include  contract 
miners: 

AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  RATES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY,  AND  10-HOUR 
DAYS  WORKED  DURING  YEAR  ENDING  APRIL  30,  1902,  FOR  EACH 
OCCUPATION,  AT  COLLIERIES  OF  THE  TEMPLE  IRON  COMPANY. 


Occupations. 


Machinists . 

Breaker  and  screen  bosses 
Timber  and  brattice  men . 

Blacksmiths . 

Pumpmen . 

Driver  bosses . 

Carpenters . 

Engineers . 

Docking  bosses . 

Stable  men . 

Watchmen . 

Firemen . 

Track  men . 

Masons . 

Teamsters . 


Number 
of  men 
and 
boys. 

Average 
rate  per 
10-hour 
day.a 

Average 

10-hour 

days 

worked.^ 

Average 

annual 

earnings. 

7 

$2.24 

313 

$701. 19 

5 

2. 14 

296 

633.44 

12 

2. 36 

272 

641. 92 

17 

2.09 

288 

602. 27 

11 

1.86 

322 

599. 90 

7 

2. 17 

272 

590. 30 

23 

2. 10 

277 

582. 83 

61 

1.94 

293 

569. 16 

5 

2.00 

283 

566. 09 

10 

1.67 

323 

539. 15 

5 

1.62 

327 

528. 48 

43 

1.66 

314 

521. 45 

47 

1.95 

257 

501.70 

4 

2.00 

249 

499. 32 

6 

1.66 

281 

466. 87 

alnavery  few  occupations,  such  as  engineers  and  pumpmen  employed  in  positions  which  are 
manned  continuously  throughout  the  24  hours,  and  firemen,  barn  men  (or  stable  men),  and  watch¬ 
men,  the  employees  are  paid  on  the  basis  of  12  hours  per  day,  and  the  average  days  worked  shown 
in  the  table  are  12-hour  days. 


182  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  RATES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY  >  10- HO U R 

DAYS  WORKED  DURING  YEAR  ENDING  APRIL  30,  1902,  FOR  EACH  OC¬ 
CUPATION  AT  COLLIERIES  OF  THE  TEMPLE  IRON  COMPANY— Concl  d. 


Occupations. 

Number 
of  men 
and  boys. 

Average 
rate  per 
10-hour 
day.  a 

Average 

10-hour 

days 

worked. « 

Average 

annual 

earnings. 

9 

$1.61 

273 

$438. 97 

9 

1.82 

237 

432. 05 

33 

1.68 

239 

400. 62 

37 

1.65 

242 

398. 80 

166 

1.64 

226 

371. 60 

9 

1.60 

232 

370. 15 

5 

1.60 

231 

369. 22 

4 

1.47 

247 

362. 16 

13 

1.48 

244 

361. 12 

30 

1.51 

230 

347. 97 

15 

1.33 

244 

324. 08 

13 

1.35 

216 

291.52 

13 

1.30 

219 

283. 71 

34 

.89 

217 

193. 89 

138 

.76 

188 

141. 44 

791 

1.58 

243 

384. 55 

The  following  table  shows  by  groups  the  average  rates  of  pay  per 
10-hour  day,  the  average  number  of  10-hour  days  worked,  and  the 
average  annual  earnings  of  men  and  boys  employed  by  the  day,  week, 
or  month  during  the  year  1901,  at  the  collieries  of  the  Delaware,  Lacka¬ 
wanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company.  This  table  does  not  include 


contract  miners: 


AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  RATES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY,  AND  10-HOUR 
DAYS  WORKED  DURING  YEAR  1901,  FOR  EACH  OCCUPATION  AT  COL¬ 
LIERIES  OF  THE  DELAWARE,  LACKAWANNA  AND  WESTERN  RAIL¬ 
ROAD  COMPANY. 


Occupations. 

Number 
of  men 
and  boys. 

Average 
rate  per 
10-hour 
day.« 

Average 

10-hour 

days 

worked.a 

Average 

annual 

earnings. 

38 

$2.43 

337 

$818. 60 

43 

2. 34 

316 

738. 31 

1  ,  KhlLLl  tllo  (IIIU  vlCvUioiUiiio  ••••••* . 

97 

2.26 

301 

679. 35 

1  J 1 1 V  V 1  PJAJ3DC3  tinu  . * . 

281 

2.06 

327 

673. 32 

119 

2. 32 

270 

627. 90 

25 

1.65 

365 

603.  06 

8 

1.77 

335 

591. 14 

120 

2.24 

262 

586. 20 

150 

1.66 

347 

575. 50 

9 

1.91 

300 

574. 45 

51 

1.55 

365 

564. 12 

62 

2.10 

253 

531. 02 

25 

1.66 

302 

502. 88 

73 

2.35 

220 

517. 50 

53 

2.25 

240 

540. 99 

66 

1.60 

300 

480. 97 

LarpcIlUJlB  IlciptJIS,  ICamnlClBj  <inv_i  . . 

624 

1.75 

272 

475.79 

347 

1.70 

266 

452. 00 

32 

1.76 

234 

413. 03 

65 

1.62 

275 

446. 81 

100 

1.64 

240 

393. 54 

5 

2.38 

163 

387.08 

19 

1.41 

260 

367. 10 

100 

1.58 

210 

3^2. 29 

40 

1.50 

250 

3/6. 55 

1,308 

1.50 

216 

324. 34 

1  Jl  L I  H,  I  Ullllvlo|  (ILIU  AX  4  X  *  Ol  o  — 

11 

1.54 

199 

305.  63 

11 

1.25 

200 

250.  00 

3 

.81 

199 

160. 88 

1,453 

.78 

199 

154. 80 

230 

.86 

199 

171. 58 

1 

« In  a  very  few  occupations,  such  as  engineers  and  pumpmen  employed  in  positions  which  art 
manned  continuously  throughout  the  24  hours,  and  firemen,  barn  men  (or  stable  men),  and  watch¬ 
men,  the  employees  are  paid  on  the  basis  of  12  hours  per  day,  and  the  average  days  worked  shown 
in  the  table  are  12-hour  days. 


APPENDIX  B. - EARNINGS  OF  MINE  WORKERS. 


183 


The  following  table  shows  by  groups  the  average  rates  of  pay  per 
10-hour  day,  the  average  number  of  10-hour  days  worked,  and  the 
average  annual  earnings  of  men  and  boys  employed  by  the  day,  week, 
or  month  during  the  year  ending  March  31,  1902,  at  the  collieries  of 
the  Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Company.  This  table  does  not  include 
contract  miners. 

AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  RATES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY,  AND  10-HOUR 
DAYS  WORKED  DURING  YEAR  ENDING  MARCH  31,  1902,  FOR  EACH 
OCCUPATION,  AT  COLLIERIES  OF  THE  HILLSIDE  COAL  AND  IRON 
COMPANY. 


Occupations. 


Engineers . 

Machinists . 

Carpenters . . 

Blacksmiths . 

Track  men . 

Stable  ipen . 

Watchmen . 

Masons . . 

Firemen . 

Timber  and  brattice  men 

Pumpmen . 

Headmen . 

Miscellaneous . 

Laborers . 

Dump  men . 

Loaders . 

Footmen . 

Drivers  and  runners . 

Plate  men . 

Slate  pickers . 

Door  boys . 

Average . 


Number 
of  men 
and  boys. 

Average 
rate  per 
10-hour 
day  .a 

Average 
10-hour 
days 
worked. « 

Average 

annual 

earnings. 

46 

$2. 01 

348 

$699. 45 

11 

2.03 

309 

627. 45 

40 

2.08 

291 

605. 77 

23 

2.01 

300 

605. 56 

55 

1.94 

309 

600. 58 

11 

1.80 

321 

580. 22 

11 

1.62 

352 

571. 16 

7 

2. 01 

282 

566. 47 

54 

1.76 

307 

542.36 

15 

2.01 

239 

480. 95 

83 

1.67 

285 

476. 82 

24 

1.58 

255 

403. 76 

318 

1.70 

226 

385. 05 

70 

1.55 

240 

371.59 

38 

1.52 

242 

368. 89 

43 

1.60 

227 

362. 46 

53 

1.67 

210 

352. 16 

415 

1.57 

191 

299. 76 

31 

1.38 

191 

262.  68 

246 

.88 

235 

207. 15 

59 

.71 

173 

123.  33 

1,603 

1.55 

232 

359. 53 

« In  a  very  few  occupations,  such  as  engineers  and  pumpmen  employed  m  positions  which  are 
manned  continuously  throughout  the  24  hours,  and  firemen,  barn  men  (or  stable  men) ,  and  watch¬ 
men,  the  employees  are  paid  on  the  basis  of  12  hours  per  day,  and  the  average  days  worked  shoivn 
in  the  table  are  12-hour  days. 


The  following  table  shows,  by  groups,  the  average  rates  of  pay  per 
10-hour  day,  the  average  number  of  10-hour  days  worked,  and  the 
average  annual  earnings  of  men  and  boys  employed  by  the  day,  week, 
or  month  during  the  year  ending  March  31,  1902,  at  the  collieries  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company.  This  table  does  not  include  contract 
miners. 


184  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  RATES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY,  AND  10- 
HOUR  DAYS  WORKED  DURING  YEAR  ENDING  MARCH  31,  1902  FOR 
EACH  OCCUPATION,  AT  COLLIERIES  OF  THE  PENNSYLVANIA  COAL 
COMPANY. 


Occupations. 


Engineers . 

Trackmen . 

Firemen  and  ashmen . 

Stablemen . . 

Blacksmiths . 

Pumpmen . 

Machinists . 

Carpenters . 

Company  miners . 

Watchmen . 

Masons . 

Footmen . i . 

Headmen . 

Laborers . 

Conveyor  men . 

Timber  and  brattice  men 

Teamsters . 

Loaders . . . 

Dump  men . 

Miscellaneous . 

Plate  men . 

Friction  men . 

Drivers  and  runners . 

Slate  pickers . 

Door  boys . 

Average . 


Number 
of  men 
and  boys. 

Average 
rate  per 
10-hour 
day.a 

Average 

10-hour 

days 

worked. a 

Average 

annual 

earnings. 

112 

$2. 10 

346 

$727. 69 

97 

1.87 

325 

608. 55 

75 

1.65 

352 

583. 13 

27 

1.55 

361 

559.63 

23 

2. 26 

247 

658.55 

17 

1.92 

276 

530. 14 

22 

2.00 

257 

512.77 

51 

2. 14 

238 

507.09 

49 

2.08 

233 

484. 97 

25 

1.35 

325 

439. 90 

40 

1.91 

230 

439. 27 

90 

1.57 

238 

373. 43 

62 

1.56 

239 

371.35 

118 

1.58 

218 

343. 31 

34 

1.53 

222 

339.  09 

22 

1.92 

173 

333. 58 

18 

1.55 

210 

325.  99 

92 

1.60 

202 

324. 51 

62 

1.57 

204 

321.63 

122 

1.68 

216 

362. 95 

73 

1.44 

191 

275.00 

44 

1.48 

166 

245. 28 

654 

1.38 

170 

234. 97 

599 

.94 

172 

161.96 

150 

.73 

140 

101.45 

2, 678 

1.48 

207 

307. 44 

The  following  table  shows,  by  groups,  the  average  rates  of  pay  per 
10-hour  day,  the  average  number  of  10-hour  days  worked,  and  the 
average  annual  earnings  of  men  and  boys  employed  by  the  day,  week, 
or  month  during  the  year  1901  at  the  collieries  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Company.  This  table  does  not  include  contract  miners. 


AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  RATES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY,  AND  10- 
HOUR  DAYS  WORKED,  DURING  YEAR  1901,  FOR  MEN  AND  FOR  BOYS 
IN  EACH  OCCUPATION,  AT  COLLIERIES  OF  THE  DELAWARE  AND 
HUDSON  COMPANY. 


Occupations. 


Engineers,  shaft . 

Engineers,  outside  slope. . . 

Engineers,  breaker . 

Engineers,  fan . 

Engineers,  outside  haulage 

Engineers,  tower . 

Engineers,  culm . 

Engineers,  compressor . 

Engineers,  washery . 

Engineers,  locomotive . 

Firemen,  locomotive . 

Firemen . 

Firemen  assistant . 

Ash  men . 

Fuel  men . 

Watchmen.. . 

Barn  men . 

Barn  men,  assistant . 


Number 

of 

men. 5 


54.84 
30. 12 
25 
12 
10 
2 
15 
3.41 
5 

13.75 

1 

121.275 
16. 795 
40. 87 
22.54 
44.81 
39. 18 
11 


Number 

of 

boys.  5 


2.92 


11.63 


Average  10- 
hour  days 
worked,  a 

Average  rate 
per  10-hour 
day.  a 

Per 

man. 

Per 

boy. 

— 

Per 

man. 

Per 

boy. 

352.8 

320. 9 

312.6 

365.7 
309.3 

253.7 

254.5 

351.6 

311.6 

263. 9 
283 

343.7 
306.1 
334 

280.7 

371.9 

360.8 
329.6 


Average  yearly 
earnings. 


204.2 


320.7 


180.3 
‘358.’  5 


82. 37 
2.20 
2.10 
1.73 
2. 18 
2.33 
1.77 
1.72 
1.84 
2.23 
1.16 
1.76 
1.60 

1.53 
1.55 

1.54 
1.68 
1.62 


Per  man. 


$1.26 


1.17 


1.04 

*i.*02 


$836. 11 
705.  87 
656. 37 
632.  71 
674. 17 

591.10 
450. 54 
604. 81 
573.  31 
588. 44 
328.28 
604.94 
489. 83 
510. 96 

435. 10 
572. 75 
606.08 
533. 92 


Per  boy. 


$257.30 


375. 20 


187.55 


365.70 


a  in  a  very  few  occupations,  such  as  engineers  and  pumpmen  employed  in  positions  which  are 
manned  continuously  throughout  the  24  hours,  and  firemen,  barn  men  (or  stable  men),  and  wytch- 
men,  the  employees  are  paid  on  the  basis  of  12  hours  per  day,  and  the  average  days  worked  shown 
in  the  table  are  12-hour  days.  .  ,  ,  .. 

b  The  fractions  result  from  the  inclusion  of  persons  employed  for  periods  less  than  a  year. 


APPENDIX  B 


EARNINGS  OF  MINE  WORKERS 


185 


AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  RATES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY,  AND  10- 
HOUR  DAYS  WORKED,  DURING  YEAR  1901,  FOR  MEN  AND  FOR  BOYS 
IN  EACH  OCCUPATION,  AT  COLLIERIES  OF  THE  DELAWARE  AND 
HUDSON  COMPANY — Continued. 


Occupations. 

Number 

of 

men. a 

Number 

of 

boys.a 

Average  10- 
hour  days 
worked,  b 

Average  rate 
per  10-hour 
day.  b 

Average  yearly 
earnings. 

Per 

man. 

Per 

boy. 

Per 

man. 

Per 

boy. 

Per  man, 

Per  boy. 

Tpflmst.prs  . 

89. 55 

302.8 

$1.69 

$511. 70 

'Rlflp.lr  smiths  . 

54. 1 5 

301.3 

2.30 

692. 89 

45  133 

294.  6 

1.65 

486. 10 

143  463 

293 

2. 24 

656. 39 

80  453 

271.6 

1.72 

467. 13 

17  75 

226.6 

1.55 

351. 26 

5 

274 

1.84 

504.21 

8 

322.7 

1.71 

551. 88 

26 

212.7 

1.76 

374. 31 

Dnmnprs 

19. 79 

253 

1.59 

402. 29 

101  112 

245.8 

1.60 

393.25 

Headmen,  shaft,  second  class . 

25. 05 

7. 32 

247.2 

196.1 

1.43 

$0. 90 

353. 46 

$176. 44 

m  «  fp  m  pn  _ 

49. 639 

181.3 

1.52 

275. 63 

2 

242.4 

1. 60 

387. 80 

17  825 

212.4 

1.29 

273. 97 

Friction  boys . 

1 

1 

230.7 

205.3 

1.17 

1.00 

269. 96 

205. 25 

6 

174.5 

1.35 

235. 53 

hnvs  _ _ 

9 

206 

.92 

189. 49 

finish  prs  . 

5. 83 

204.4 

.92 

188. 07 

Rhftlrprs  . 

14. 95 

232.5 

.93 

216. 27 

.Tip1*  mrmprs  . . 

10. 28 

198.4 

1.10 

218. 20 

Chute  men . 

5.7 

2 

235.5 

229.1 

1.41 

1.10 

332. 01 

262.  66 

Box  carriers  and  dumpers . 

2. 92 

2. 78 

192.1 

154.6 

1.20 

.83 

230. 54 

128. 31 

Oilers,  breaker . 

12 

12 

308 

282.1 

1.27 

1.10 

391. 18 

310. 26 

Oilers,  car . 

10 

20 

211.9 

192.4 

1.34 

.91 

283. 93 

175. 12 

Oilprs  tviiIIpv  . . 

4 

229.7 

.75 

172. 30 

7 

311.9 

1.83 

570. 81 

25  66 

308.5 

1.71 

527.53 

Weighmasters,  assistant . 

9 

1 

305.6 

249.1 

1.26 

.91 

385. 11 

226. 70 

Tnsnppfnrs 

22.  6 

278.5 

1.67 

465. 13 

T  .npflprs 

88. 596 

257.9 

1.60 

412. 63 

26  86 

226.5 

1.46 

330. 64 

Loaders,  third  class . 

1 

2 

263 

157.9 

1.38 

.83 

362. 89 

131. 02 

Scale  runners . 

28. 22 

4.83 

254.7 

243.7 

1.56 

.96 

397. 27 

233.  99 

Scale  runners,  assistant . 

9.9 

5 

229.9 

177.4 

1.25 

1.04 

287.  35 

184. 49 

Locomotive  runners . 

7. 04 

1 

274.4 

231.7 

1.42 

1. 10 

389.  67 

254. 92 

Shaft  spraggers . 

5. 83 

3 

226.6 

229.6 

1.43 

.84 

324. 05 

192. 83 

Outside  shaft  drivers . 

6 

13.92 

228.1 

233.8 

1.39 

.91 

317.11 

212. 80 

Culm  loaders . 

13 

5 

205.5 

233.3 

1. 51 

1.15 

310. 24 

268.26 

Culm  loaders,  assistant . 

1 

4 

142.2 

247.8 

1.38 

.76 

196. 20 

188. 36 

Culm  footmen . 

5 

3.95 

234.5 

189.5 

1.58 

1.11 

370. 49 

210. 33 

Culm  headmen . 

7 

5. 95 

258.1 

262.2 

1.52 

.84 

392. 26 

220. 23 

Pnlm  dnmnprs 

27.42 

224 

1.58 

353. 95 

Culm  dumpers,  assistant . 

2 

1 

264.3 

252.2 

1.40 

1.17 

369. 98 

295. 03 

Culm  runners . 

2.1 

2 

171.5 

208.5 

1.41 

.88 

241. 81 

183. 48 

Culm  drivers . 

6. 24 

36.71 

185.8 

199.2 

1.32 

.96 

245. 31 

191. 23 

10.79 

232.2 

1.61 

373. 84 

Rock  dumpers,  second  class— out- 

siHp  . 

6.96 

267.7 

1.48 

396. 24 

Rock  drivers . 

1 

4.92 

283.5 

148.8 

1.41 

.97 

399. 70 

144. 34 

Shovelers . 

29.08 

1.8 

219.4 

180.8 

1.46 

.88 

320. 32 

159. 10 

1  i 

266.8 

1.41 

376. 19 

104  137 

261 

1.59 

414. 98 

100  82 

280. 2 

1.42 

397.  83 

89  258 

254.9 

1.35 

344. 06 

4  08 

276.4 

1.13 

312. 34 

5.5 

119.3 

1.54 

183.  71 

Washery  oilers . 

1 

2 

220.7 

251.9 

1.40 

1.12 

308.  92 

282. 08 

78. 922 

229.6 

1.59 

365. 04 

368  009 

196.8 

1.10 

216. 47 

Man  slate  pickers,  second  class . 

47.02 

52. 008 

108.6 

178.9 

1.05 

.97 

114. 04 

173. 55 

37.  97 

177.9 

.90 

160. 09 

22.38 

189.8 

.88 

166. 98 

180. 407 

180 

.72 

129.  61 

403. 37 

153.6 

.66 

101.40 

198. 26 

201.7 

.59 

119. 01 

134. 34 

178.9 

.63 

112. 73 

27.2 

153.1 

.58 

88.78 

Boy  slate  pickers,  sixth  class . 

17.65 

136. 2 

.51 

69.44 

a  The  fractions  result  from  the  inclusion  of  persons  employed  for  periods  less  than  a  year, 
bln  a  very  few  occupations,  such  as  engineers  and  pumpmen  employed  m  positions  which  are 
manned  continuously  throughout  the  24  hours,  and  firemen,  barn  men  (or  stable  men),  and  watch- 
men,  the  employees  are  paid  on  the  basis  of  12  hours  per  day,  and  the  average  days  worked  shown 
in  the  table  are  12-hour  days. 


186  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION 


AVERAGE  ANNUAL  EARNINGS,  RATES  PER  10-HOUR  DAY,  AND  10- 
HOUR  DAYS  WORKED,  DURING  YEAR  1901,  FOR  MEN  AND  FOR  BOYS 
IN  EACH  OCCUPATION,  AT  COLLIERIES  OF  THE  DELAWARE  AND 
HUDSON  COMPANY— Concluded. 


Occupations. 

Number 

of 

rnen.n 

Number 

of 

boys.a 

Average  10- 
hour  days 
worked,  b 

Average  rate 
per  10-hour 
day.  b 

Average  yearly 
earnings. 

Per 

man. 

Per 

boy. 

Per 

man. 

Per 

boy. 

Per  man. 

Per  boy. 

F.nplnpprs  slrvnp 

39.22 

264.4 

$1.99 

$526. 17 

Engineers,  chain  hoist . 

1 

3 

208.1 

172.1 

1.60 

$1.22 

333. 00 

$209.  93 

Fncnnpprs  air  motor 

13.86 

285.7 

1.81 

517. 12 

PnmrvmPTi 

66. 28 

350.7 

1.82 

638. 21 

Tnsidp  pa  rnpri  t.prs  nr  t.rapV  la.vp.rs 

79. 26 

277. 4  • 

2.33 

646.42 

Inside  carpenters  or  track  layers, 

a  ssi  st  a  n  t, 

72. 989 

276. 1 

1.83 

505. 29 

Tim  hprm  pn 

55.  869 

265. 5 

2. 19 

581.48 

Titrihpriripn  assistant, 

75. 646 

267.1 

1.86 

496.  86 

"Rra.ttipp  man 

34. 51 

229 

2. 06 

471.67 

"Rrattipp  mpn  assistant. 

16. 65 

228.5 

1.85 

422.  75 

Masons 

40. 802 

241.3 

1.98 

477.  76 

M  a  son  s  assistant. 

16. 407 

215.6 

1.78 

383.  71 

Whpplmpn  first  pln.ss 

84.52 

238.4 

1.75 

417. 14 

Air-motor  helpers . 

8.  35 

11.66 

251 

237.1 

1.57 

1.18 

394. 04 

279. 79 

Dnotmpn  ■first  P.la.ss 

99. 617 

242.8 

1.86 

451 . 67 

FcntniPTi  sppnnd  plass 

24.  903 

250.8 

1.70 

426. 42 

TTnntmpn  third  pla.ss 

17. 091 

222. 1 

1.56 

346.50 

PYiotm pn  fourth  p.lass 

3.76 

189.1 

1.46 

276. 10 

"FVwtmpn  sixth  pla.ss 

2 

202.  3 

1.16 

234. 61 

Clnlm  mpn  first  pla.ss 

25. 20 

264.2 

1.63 

430. 61 

Clnlm  mpn  spp.on d  pla.ss 

39. 42 

247. 1 

1.52 

375. 52 

"Rna.fi  plpa.nprs 

22.  685 

211.5 

1.63 

344.  79 

Ttopk  dumpers 

31.21 

239.8 

1.80 

431.57 

riomnanv  minors 

81. 081 

217. 9 

2.20 

479. 45 

Dahnrprs  first  p.lass — in  si  dp 

119.  058 

248.  6 

1.86 

462.  34 

61  065 

235.  7 

1.64 

386. 50 

T,ahorprs  third  p.lass — in  si  dp 

22.  58 

268.6 

1.62 

435. 11 

Ttri  vpr  bosses 

47.89 

300.4 

2. 18 

654.83 

Drivpr  hossps  assistant 

17.  75 

293.6 

1.83 

537. 29 

"Runners  first  pla.ss 

210. 315 

224.6 

1.70 

381. 87 

Runners  sppnnd  plass 

138. 721 

235.6 

1.52 

358. 09 

Runners,  third  class . 

36.55 

55. 79 

242.5 

237.8 

1.76 

1.38 

426. 73 

328. 13 

Drivers  team 

19.  95 

185.3 

1.83 

339.  01 

Drivers,  first  class . 

145. 157 

10 

229.  3 

161.8 

1.60 

1.33 

366.  91 

215. 13 

Drivers,  second  class . 

30.48 

93. 582 

219. 5 

222.  9 

1.44 

1.37 

316. 10 

305.  31 

Drivers,  third  class . 

10.8 

225. 038 

192. 1 

229. 3 

1.38 

1.22 

265. 14 

279.  71 

Drivers  fourth  plass 

121.  428 

223.8 

1.17 

261. 84 

Driyers  fifth  plass 

112. 80 

222.8 

1.09 

242. 90 

Drivers  sixth  plass 

59. 22 

210.7 

.99 

208.55 

Drivers  seventh  pla.ss 

41. 655 

215.1 

.86 

184. 97 

Dnnrm  pn 

25. 40 

203.6 

1. 10 

223. 97 

Doorhovs  first  pla.ss 

207. 06 

215.7 

.84 

181. 16 

Doorhovs  spp.ond  p.lass 

72. 40 

214.4 

.79 

169. 40 

Doorhovs  third  p.lass  . 

28.  67 

200.6 

.66 

132. 40 

Miscellaneous . 

60.448 

3 

229 

153.1 

1. 78 

.78 

407. 58 

119. 44 

Miscellaneous . 

66. 10 

20. 99 

254.5 

181 

1.81 

.91 

460.  72 

164. 74 

Miscellaneous . 

155. 643 

6.097 

278.3 

259. 8 

1.83 

.92 

509.30 

239. 04 

a  The  fractions  result  from  the  inclusion  of  persons  employed  for  periods  less  than  a  year. 
b  In  a  very  few  occupations,  such  as  engineers  and  pumpmen  employed  in  positions  which  are 
manned  continuously  throughout  the  24  hours,  and  firemen,  barn  men  (or  stable  men),  and  watch¬ 
men,  the  employees  are  paid  on  the  basis  of  12  hours  per  day,  and  the  average  days  worked  shown 
in  the  table  are  12-hour  days. 


APPENDIX  C. 


% 


BREAKER  STARTS,  HOURS  PER  DAY  IN 
OPERATION,  AND  EQUIVALENT  IN 
10-HOUR  DAYS  FOR  EACH  COM¬ 
PANY  AND  COLLIERY. 


187 


APPENDIX  C 


BREAKER  STARTS,  HOURS  PER  DAY  IN  OPERATION,  AND  EQUIVA¬ 
LENT  IN  10-HOUR  DAYS  FOR  EACH  COMPANY  AND  COLLIERY. 

BREAKER  STARTS,  HOURS  PER  DAY  IN  OPERATION,  AND  EQUIVALENT 
IN  10-HOUR  DAYS  FOR  EACH  COMPANY  AND  COLLIERY. 


Days  on  which  breakers  started  and  continued  in  oper¬ 
ation  for — 

Aver¬ 

age 

hours 

per 

start. 

Mining  companies  and 
collieries. 

10 

hrs. 

9 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

10. 

8 

nrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

9. 

7 

hrs., 

hut 

un¬ 

der 

8. 

6 

ars., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

7. 

5 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

6. 

4 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

5. 

3 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

4. 

2  1 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

3. 

1 

hr., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

2. 

Total 

starts. 

10- 

hour 

days. 

PHILADELPHIA  AND  READING 
COAL  AND  IRON  COMPANY. 

West.  "Rronkside . „ . 

0 

265 

7 

3 

3 

1 

0 

0 

1 

0 

280 

8.9 

250 

T/inenln . 

0 

259 

8 

4 

1 

1 

0 

0 

0 

1 

274 

8.8 

242 

Hum  si  dp.  . 

0 

247 

3 

4 

3 

6 

4 

2 

0 

1 

270 

8.7 

235 

Manle  Hill  . 

0 

257 

0 

1 

3 

8 

0 

2 

3 

1 

270 

8.7 

236 

"Rnston  Run . 

0 

258 

1 

4 

2 

0 

2 

1 

1 

0 

269 

8.9 

239 

St  Niehnlas . 

0 

264 

1 

0 

2 

1 

1 

0 

0 

0 

269 

8.8 

239 

Suffolk . 

0 

264 

1 

0 

2 

1 

1 

0 

0 

0 

269 

8.9 

240 

Mfl.ha/nov  Oitv . 

0 

260 

1 

4 

0 

3 

0 

1 

0 

0 

269 

8.9 

239 

TiOonst  Gap  . 

0 

220 

31 

4 

0 

11 

0 

2 

0 

0 

268 

8.7 

232 

Draper . 

0 

258 

1 

2 

0 

4 

1 

0 

2 

0 

268 

8.8 

237 

Tnnnftl  Pi  d  tro. . 

0 

257 

3 

1 

1 

2 

2 

1 

1 

0 

268 

8.9 

237 

XXnrt.h  Maha.noy . 

0 

255 

2 

2 

4 

3 

0 

2 

0 

0 

268 

8.8 

237 

Rbp’Ip  Hill . 

0 

256 

3 

2 

2 

4 

0 

1 

0 

0 

268 

8.9 

238 

Rpat  Pide-p.  . 

0 

217 

0 

48 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

267 

8.7 

232 

TCniekerhoeker . 

0 

238 

3 

12 

5 

8 

1 

0 

0 

0 

267 

8.7 

232 

Silver  Creek . 

0 

260 

2 

1 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

2 

267 

8.9 

237 

North  Franklin . 

0 

239 

2 

9 

3 

4 

3 

2 

3 

1 

266 

8.6 

229 

Shenandoah  Citv . 

0 

242 

4 

3 

3 

7 

2 

2 

2 

1 

266 

8.7 

230 

TCohinoor . 

0 

20 

0 

213 

7 

10 

9 

2 

2 

3 

266 

7.1 

191 

Alaska.  . 

0 

259 

0 

1 

1 

2 

1 

0 

0 

1 

265 

8.9 

236 

Wa.desyille . 

0 

0 

7 

210 

27 

15 

3 

1 

2 

0 

265 

7. 1 

189 

Ot.tn  _  _ . 

0 

252 

2 

4 

2 

3 

0 

1 

0 

0 

264 

8.9 

234 

Hear  Valiev  . 

0 

237 

0 

5 

3 

5 

5 

1 

2 

2 

260 

8. 4 

224 

Potts . 

0 

234 

5 

0 

4 

4 

2 

3 

8 

0 

260 

8.7 

226 

Preston  No.  3 . 

0 

251 

1 

0 

3 

0 

1 

1 

0 

3 

260 

8.8 

228 

Reliance . 

0 

241 

1 

5 

0 

4 

4 

1 

3 

0 

259 

8.7 

226 

Phneniv  Park . 

0 

251 

2 

1 

3 

0 

0 

0 

0 

259 

8.9 

231 

Past, . 

0 

240 

4 

4 

1 

4 

1 

0 

2 

2 

258 

8.8 

227 

Turkey  Run . 

0 

120 

58 

46 

10 

6 

9 

2 

5 

0 

256 

7.9 

203 

Richardson . 

Fllane'owan  .  _ . 

0 

0 

246 

242 

2 

3 

0 

0 

1 

2 

3 

1 

1 

1 

2 

1 

0 

1 

2 

256 

253 

8.8 

8.8 

226 

222 

Glen  dower . 

0 

243 

0 

1 

1 

7 

0 

0 

1 

0 

253 

8. 9 

224 

Tndia.n  Ridee . 

0 

227 

1 

7 

4 

2 

3 

3 

2 

3 

252 

8.5 

216 

fiend  Serine- . 

0 

230 

8 

2 

2 

5 

1 

0 

1 

0 

249 

8.7 

219 

fiilherton . 

0 

229 

1 

2 

2 

1 

0 

2 

3 

241 

8.8 

212 

174 

153 

Gi  rard  . 

0 

16 

0 

203 

3 

3 

8 

1 

3 

1 

238 

7.3 

Henry  Clay . 

0 

157 

3 

4 

1 

4 

3 

5 

4 

2 

183 

8.3 

■ 

261 

8.6 

225 

Per  cent  of  total  starts . 

Per  cent  of  total  hours . 

0.0 

0.0 

85.0 

89.3 

1.8 

1.6 

8.5 

6.9 

1.5 

0.9 

0.8 

0.3 

0.4 

0.1 

0.5 

0.1 

0.3 

0.6 

10C 

1.  x 
0.8 

10C 

. 

. 

DELAWARE  AND  HUDSON  CO. 

Von  S  tor  eh . 

2 

74 

C 

18C 

£ 

35 

1 

C 

6 

C 

301 

7.6 

8.2 

7.8 

6.1 

225 

243 

230 

175 

Olyphant . 

15 

139 

2 

95 

4 

36 

1 

C 

9 

c 

295 

Fddy  Creek . 

4 

1*6 

4 

96 

S 

33 

C 

6 

8 

c 

29c 

Conyngham . 

0 

0 

C 

96 

95 

82 

4 

5 

8 

5 

289 

190  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION 


BREAKER  STARTS,  HOURS  PER  DAY  IN  OPERATION,  AND  EQUIVALENT 
IN  10-HOUR  DAYS  FOR  EACH  COMPANY  AND  COLLIERY—  Cont’d. 


Days  on  which  breakers  started  and  continued  in  oper¬ 
ation  for — 


Mining  companies  and 
collieries. 

10 

hrs. 

9 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

10. 

8 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

9. 

■  7 
hrs., 
but 
un¬ 
der 
8. 

6 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

7. 

5 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

6. 

4 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

5. 

3 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

4. 

2 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

3. 

1 

hr., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

2. 

Total 

starts. 

Aver¬ 

age 

hours 

per 

start. 

10- 

hour 

days. 

DELAWARE  AND  HUDSON 

'  co. — concluded. 

Coal  Brook . 

72 

64 

31 

66 

11 

36 

3 

0 

4 

1 

288 

8.0 

232 

Leggitts  Creek . 

16 

118 

2 

113 

0 

33 

0 

0 

6 

0 

288 

7.8 

226 

Clinton . 

16 

73 

59 

81 

15 

40 

0 

0 

3 

0 

287 

7.6 

219 

Baltimore  Slope . 

0 

0 

1 

84 

122 

69 

4 

1 

4 

1 

286 

6.2 

178 

Marvin  e . 

14 

125 

6 

103 

3 

28 

1 

1 

1 

2 

284 

7.9 

225 

Plymouth  No.  4 . 

8 

48 

2 

121 

6 

82 

3 

4 

5 

4 

283 

6.8 

192 

Powderly . 

18 

44 

3 

139 

0 

73 

0 

0 

5 

0 

282 

7.5 

212 

White  Oak . 

14 

129 

3 

87 

2 

40 

0 

0 

3 

0 

278 

7.8 

220 

Boston . 

3 

2 

15 

135 

7 

101 

2 

0 

5 

0 

270 

6.4 

174 

Dickson . 

15 

126 

2 

89 

3 

27 

2 

1 

3 

0 

268 

8.0 

214 

Plymouth  No.  3 . 

0 

0 

7 

140 

0 

106 

2 

0 

2 

1 

258 

6.4 

165 

No.  1  shaft . 

13 

3 

1 

157 

0 

68 

0 

0 

6 

0 

248 

6.8 

170 

.Termyn  . 

10 

58 

2 

119 

4 

39 

1 

1 

7 

0 

241 

7.3 

177 

Plymouth  No.  2 . 

0 

11 

18 

132 

10 

39 

5 

7 

3 

0 

225 

6.8 

153 

Greenwood  No.  2 . 

0 

0 

0 

1 

22 

119 

124 

8 

4 

2 

280 

4.5 

127 

Greenwood  No.  1 . 

0 

0 

0 

13 

103 

90 

41 

13 

11 

1 

272 

5.1 

139 

Langcliffe . 

0 

7 

25 

179 

16 

11 

19 

4 

5 

0 

266 

6.9 

183 

Laflin . 

0 

27 

70 

23 

16 

5 

51 

51 

8 

1 

252 

5.9 

150 

Baltimore  No.  2 . 

0 

0 

3 

17 

45 

76 

2 

0 

5 

0 

148 

5.6 

83 

Delaware . 

0 

2 

1 

0 

42 

83 

16 

0 

2 

0 

146 

5.2 

76 

Average . 

264 

6.9 

183 

Per  cent  of  total  starts . 

3.4 

18.9 

4.1 

35.8 

8.2 

21.6 

4.4 

1.5 

1.9 

0.2 

100 

Per  cent  of  total  hours . 

5.3 

25.6 

4.6 

38.1 

7.4 

15.0 

2.7 

0.7 

0.6 

0.0 

100 

DELAWARE,  LACKAWANNA  AND 

WESTERN  RAILROAD  CO. 

Hyde  Park . 

25 

81 

149 

10 

5 

12 

2 

3 

2 

0 

289 

8.1 

234 

Hampton . 

24 

80 

140 

11 

12 

12 

2 

1 

0 

0 

282 

8.1 

230 

Avondale . 

15 

64 

140 

15 

13 

21 

5 

5 

3 

0 

281 

7.7 

217 

Bellevue . 

20 

46 

160 

16 

6 

24 

4 

4 

0 

0 

280 

7.8 

219 

Diamond . 

22 

71 

130 

20 

7 

22 

3 

2 

3 

0 

280 

7.9 

222 

Pyne . 

29 

87 

141 

2 

2 

15 

1 

1 

0 

0 

278 

8.3 

230 

Archbald . 

17 

78 

131 

14 

9 

13 

6 

4 

1 

0 

273 

7.9 

217 

Continental . 

18 

63 

150 

13 

10 

13 

1 

4 

0 

0 

272 

8 

218 

I’ettibone . 

1 

59 

128 

30 

13 

16 

10 

4 

10 

1 

272 

7.3 

200 

Brisbin . 

9 

74 

165 

11 

1 

8 

3 

3 

0 

0 

269 

8.1 

219 

Storrs . 

23 

79 

121 

31 

2 

11 

1 

0 

0 

1 

269 

8.1 

221 

Taylor . 

6 

65 

131 

15 

10 

20 

9 

2 

5 

5 

268 

7.5 

203 

Sloan . 

25 

77 

128 

13 

7 

15 

0 

2 

1 

0 

268 

8.1 

218 

Woodward . 

1 

70 

107 

22 

22 

10 

6 

4 

3 

6 

251 

7.6 

190 

Bliss . 

12 

59 

108 

16 

12 

24 

9 

1 

5 

4 

250 

7.5 

187 

Hallstead . 

0 

0 

4 

122 

84 

5 

6 

2 

2 

0 

225 

6.4 

144 

Cayuga . 

2 

75 

100 

21 

10 

7 

3 

1 

2 

3 

224 

7.8 

177 

Dodge . 

20 

39 

87 

8 

7 

20 

0 

2 

0 

0 

183 

7.9 

145 

Average . 

262 

7.8 

205 

Per  cent  of  total  starts . 

5.7 

24.7 

47.1 

8.3 

4.9 

5.6 

1.5 

1.0 

0.8 

0.4 

100 

Per  cent  of  total  hours . 

7.3 

28.5 

48.0 

7.4 

3.8 

3.6 

0.8 

0.4 

0.2 

0.0 

100 

LEHIGH  VALLEY  COAL  CO. 

Seneca  . 

290 

8  2 

237 

Hazleton  Shaft . 

288 

9  2 

265 

Hazleton  No.  1 . 

284 

8.  9 

254 

William  A . 

280 

9 

252 

Exeter . 

276 

8.  4 

233 

Dorrance . 

273 

7. 1 

193 

Prospect . 

268 

8. 1 

216 

Packer  Nos.  3  and  4 . 

268 

9.1 

245 

Heidelberg  No.  1 . 

266 

7.1 

189 

Heidelberg  No.  2 . 

264 

6.2 

164 

Primrose . 

253 

7.9 

201 

Packer  No.  5 . 

247 

8.  6 

212 

Centralia . 

236 

7.  9 

186 

Spring  Brook . 

230 

8.8 

190 

Franklin . 

224 

7.1 

158 

. 

Average . 

263 

8.1 

213 

Per  cent  of  total  starts . 

Per  cent  of  total  hours . 

APPENDIX  C. - OPERATING  TIME  OF  BREAKERS 


191 


BREAKER  STARTS,  HOURS  PER  DAY  IN  OPERATION,  AND  EQUIVALENT 
IN  10-HOUR  DAYS  FOR  EACH  COMPANY  AND  COLLIERY — ConcT d . 


Days  on  which  breakers  started  and  continued  in  oper¬ 
ation  for — 


Mining  companies  and 
collieries.; 

10 

hrs. 

9 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

10. 

8 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

9. 

7 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

8. 

6 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

7. 

5 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

6. 

4 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

5. 

3 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

4. 

2 

hrs., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

3. 

1 

hr., 

but 

un¬ 

der 

2. 

Total 

starts. 

a.  v  tu- 

age 

hours 

per 

start. 

10- 

hour 

days. 

LEHIGH  AND  WILKESBARRE 

COAL  CO. 

Lance . . . 

0 

37 

220 

4 

7 

1 

0 

2 

4 

2 

277 

7.9 

219 

South  Wilkesbarre . 

0 

0 

243 

12 

9 

3 

1 

4 

3 

1 

276 

7.7 

212 

Nottingham . 

0 

44 

209 

3 

6 

6 

2 

4 

1 

0 

275 

7.9 

218 

Reynolds . 

0 

0 

250 

8 

3 

2 

2 

3 

3 

1 

272 

7.7 

211 

Maxwell . 

0 

0 

196 

33 

16 

9 

6 

3 

6 

3 

271 

7.3 

198 

Honey  Brook . 

0 

40 

195 

18 

6 

4 

2 

1 

0 

2 

268 

7.9 

211 

Audehried . 

0 

39 

212 

9 

3 

1 

2 

0 

1 

1 

268 

8 

214 

Wanamie . 

0 

0 

212 

15 

12 

8 

5 

1 

6 

4 

263 

7.4 

195 

Hollenbeck . 

0 

2 

211 

11 

7 

6 

3 

1 

1 

2 

244 

7.7 

187 

Sugar  Notch  (operated  11 

months) . 

0 

0 

189 

17 

12 

10 

6 

3 

1 

1 

239 

7.5 

179 

Stanton  (operated  10 months) . 

0 

2 

167 

5 

5 

3 

2 

2 

2 

2 

190 

7.7 

145 

Average . 

258 

7.7 

199 

Per  cent  of  total  starts 

0.0 

5.8 

81.0 

4.7 

3.0 

1.9 

1.1 

0.8 

1.0 

0.7 

100 

Per  cent  of  total  hours . 

0.0 

6.7 

84.4 

4.3 

2.3 

1.2 

0.6 

0.3 

0.2 

0.0 

100 

PENNSYLVANIA  COAL  COM- 

PANY. 

Barnum . 

2 

36 

79 

29 

23 

35 

14 

15 

.  10 

2 

245 

6.6 

162 

No.  5 . 

2 

9 

132 

59 

14 

13 

7 

3 

1 

0 

240 

7.3 

176 

No.  10 . 

4 

15 

107 

34 

16 

28 

14 

11 

3 

8 

240 

6.7 

161 

Old  Forge . 

5 

26 

65 

33 

20 

31 

26 

20 

11 

2 

239 

6.3 

150 

No.  8 . 

2 

27 

93 

27 

23 

32 

15 

7 

4 

2 

232 

6.8 

159 

No.  6 . . . 

0 

3 

108 

41 

16 

26 

13 

9 

6 

9 

231 

6.1 

151 

Ewen . 

2 

5 

102 

38 

15 

36 

6 

12 

10 

4 

230 

6.5 

150 

Gypsy  Grove . 

13 

2 

124 

42 

20 

14 

3 

0 

4 

2 

224 

7.3 

165 

Central . . 

3 

35 

85 

19 

14 

26 

21 

12 

2 

3 

220 

6.8 

150 

No.  1 . 

12 

2 

159 

20 

11 

11 

3 

1 

1 

0 

220 

7.7 

169 

Average 

232 

6.8 

159 

Per  cent  of  total  starts 

1.9 

6.9 

45.0 

14.8 

7.5 

10.9 

5.3 

3.9 

2.3 

1.5 

100 

Per  cent  of  total  hours . 

2.9 

9.0 

53.0 

15.0 

6.5 

7.9 

3.1 

1.7 

0.7 

0.2 

100 

SCRANTON  COAL  CO. 

West  Ridge . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

212 

41 

17 

4 

6 

3 

283 

5.5 

157 

Ontario . 

126 

93 

13 

14 

7 

14 

4 

9 

1 

0 

281 

8.7 

246 

Raymond . 

30 

73 

36 

43 

28 

29 

13 

13 

9 

3 

277 

7.1 

197 

Mount  Pleasant . 

0 

2 

21 

126 

57 

25 

21 

9 

4 

4 

269 

6.6 

173 

Capouse . 

0 

3 

159 

26 

14 

18 

23 

7 

8 

9 

267 

6.7 

180 

Pine  Brook . 

0 

0 

93 

70 

36 

11 

24 

11 

11 

3 

259 

6.5 

169 

Johnson . 

27 

44 

69 

19 

23 

17 

19 

16 

11 

6 

251 

6.9 

173 

Richmond  No.  4 . 

0 

0 

2 

9 

32 

67 

72 

35 

8 

2 

227 

4.5 

102 

Richmond  No.  3 . 

0 

62 

54 

30 

20 

18 

12 

11 

12 

3 

222 

6.8 

152 

A  vera  ge  _  _ 

260 

6.6 

172- 

Ppr  pprit,  nf  total  starts 

7  8 

11.9 

19.1 

14.4 

18.4 

10.3 

8.8 

4.9 

3.0 

1.4 

100 

Per  cent  of  total  hours . 

11.9 

16.4 

23.1 

15.3 

16.7 

7.8 

5.4 

2.3 

0.9 

0.2 

100 

TEMPLE  IRON  CO. 

Lackawanna . 

0 

0 

136 

121 

14 

10 

3 

3 

3 

0 

290 

7.2 

210 

Edgerton . 

1 

6 

50 

91 

53 

40 

12 

12 

9 

5 

279 

6.2 

173 

Sterrick  Creek . 

3 

40 

68 

50 

39 

41 

14 

7 

6 

3 

271 

6.7 

182 

Mount  Lookout . 

0 

49 

60 

77 

58 

12 

7 

3 

2 

2 

270 

7.3 

197 

Harry  E.  and  Forty  Fort . 

178 

23 

17 

19 

4 

6 

2 

0 

1 

1 

251 

9.3 

233 

NortlAvest . 

0 

0 

14 

101 

40 

11 

2 

1 

2 

2 

173 

6.5 

113 

A  vera.ge 

256 

7.2 

184 

Ppr  pprit.  of  tnt.nl  starts 

11  9 

7  7 

22  5 

29.9 

13.5 

7.8 

2.6 

1.7 

1.5 

0.9 

100 

Per  cent  of  total  hours . 

16.4 

9.6 

25.1 

29.2 

11.5 

5.5 

1.5 

0.7 

0.4 

0.1 

100 

HILLSIDE  COAL  AND  IRON  COM- 

PANY. 

Consolidated . 

0 

10 

52 

85 

55 

64 

3 

3 

3 

0 

275 

6.6 

181 

Forrest  City . 

66 

17 

36 

24 

27 

30 

12 

11 

23 

12 

258 

6.8 

174 

Erie . . . 

0 

0 

34 

137 

16 

38 

10 

8 

13 

0 

256 

6.5 

166 

Keystone . 

0 

0 

5 

177 

7 

29 

9 

9 

12 

2 

250 

6.6 

165 

Clifford . 

0 

2 

127 

21 

13 

23 

7 

9 

14 

10 

226 

6.7 

148 

A  vpra  po 

253 

6.6 

167 

Ppr  ppnt  nf  total  starts 

5  2 

2  4 

20  0 

35. 1 

9.  4 

14  5 

3.2 

3.2 

5.1 

1.9 

100 

Per  cent  of  total  hours . 

7.9 

3.2 

24.4 

37.3 

9.0 

11.9 

2.0 

2.0 

2.0 

0.3 

100 

. 


- 


. 


. 


APPENDIX  D. 


SIZES  OF  MINE  CARS. 


S.  Doc.  6 - 13 


193 


-  *. 


.  . 


% 


APPENDIX  D 


SIZES  OF  MINE  CAES. 

CUBICAL  CONTENTS  OF  MINE  CARS  TO  WATER  LINE  AND  WITH  TOPPING 
REQUIRED  IN  USE  AT  COLLIERIES  WHERE  PAYMENT  IS  BY  CAR. 


'■991  '  i 

Name  of  companies  and  of  collieries  where  payment  is  made  by  car. 

Contents 
of  car 
to  water 
line. 

Topping 

required. 

Total 

contents. 

DELAWARE,  LACKAWANNA  AND  WESTERN  RAILROAD  CO. 

Cubic  feet. 

Inches. 

Cubic  feet. 

All  collieries  ..  .  *. . 

69.6 

6 

82.6 

72.4 

6 

85.4 

70.  78 

6 

88. 78 

DELAWARE  AND  HUDSON  CO. 

Marvin  e . 

66 

6 

79 

Leggitts  Creek  . 

66 

6 

79 

Dickson . 

70.9 

6 

84 

Von  Storch  . 

66 

6 

79 

Ma.nville  . 

66 

6 

79 

Del  a  ware  . 

68 

8 

86 

Haiti  more  SI  one  . 

66 

8 

86 

Halt.imore  No  9.  . 

91.1 

8 

119 

Haltimore  Tunnel  . . . 

91.1 

8 

119 

63.86 

8 

91 

Pnnvnp'ham  . 

63. 86 

8 

91 

96 

8 

119 

Plymouth  No.  2,  No.  3,  and  No.  5 . 

68.04 

8 

87 

Host, on  . 

82. 34 

8 

105 

Greenwood  No.  1,  No.  2 . 

63. 86 

6 

84 

62. 28 

6 

81 

T  ,54  rs  crr»1  i  fFp  .  . . . . 

61.70 

6 

79 

63.09 

6 

79 

75. 49 

6 

102 

SCRANTON  COAL  CO. 

Pine  Hroolf  . 

74.56 

6 

89.56 

75. 13 

6 

92. 13 

75.98 

6 

93. 98 

Mount  Pleasant,  . . 

70.89 

4* 

83.89 

72.50 

6 

86.50 

• 

68.56 

6 

83.56 

West.  Hi  dee . 

70 

6 

91 

Hieiimond  No  R .  . 

66.90 

6 

85.  90 

.Johnson  No.  1  . 

63 

6 

77 

.Tohnson  No  9,  . 

68 

6 

85 

Clanonse  . . . -  . . 

77.46 

6 

92.46 

On  taxi  o  . 

73. 73 

6 

90. 73 

70. 89 

6 

87.89 

67.89 

6 

82.89 

78.27 

6 

96.27 

77.36 

6 

95. 36 

Riehmond  No  4  . 

70 

12 

108 

TEMPLE  IRON  CO. 

FTarrv  E  . - . 

74. 15 

6 

92. 92 

72.87 

6 

92.35 

Sfprri  pIt  Orppp  . . 

66.46 

6 

79. 75 

66. 20 

6 

81.48 

71.54 

6 

89. 43 

TTnrt.v  TTnrt  . . 

74.15 

6 

92. 92 

72.75 

6 

93.64 

74.  60 

6 

91?.  66 

- 

72.87 

6 

92.35 

T  iOplrn.  w«n  n  a.  . 

68.54 

6 

82. 25 

Ra.hvlon  . 

73 

6 

93.61 

Mount  TiOokont  . . . 

73 

6 

93.61 

71. 05 

6 

92.44 

56. 39 

6 

80. 56 

69.25 

6 

93.31 

195 


196  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION 


CUBICAL  CONTENTS  OF  MINE  CARS  TO  WATER  LINE  AND  WITH  TOPPING 
REQUIRED  IN  USE  AT  COLLIERIES  WHERE  PAYMENT  IS  BY  CAR- 
Concluded. 


Name  of  companies  and  of  collieries  where  payment  is  made  by  car. 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  BEADING  COAL  AND  IKON  CO. 

Alaska . . . 

Bear  Valley . 

Burnside . 

Bear  Ridge . 

Indian  Ridge . . 

Ellangowan . 

Eagle  Hill . 

Henry  Clay . 


Locust  Gap . 

Lincoln  . 

Mahanoy  City . . 

Maple  Hill . 

North  Franklin 

North  Mahanoy 

Otto . 

Phoenix  Park. . . 


Reliance . 

Shenandoah  City. 

Suffolk . 

Silver  Creek . 

West  Shenandoah 


Wadesville  .... 
West  Brookside 


LEHIGH  AND  WILKESBARKE  COAL  CO. 

Reynolds . 

Sugar  Notch . 

South  Wilkesbarre . 

Stanton . - 

Lance  . 

Wanamie . 

Hollenbeck  No.  2 . 

Maxwell . 

Nottingham . - . 

Honey  Brook . 

Audenried . 


Seneca 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  COAL  CO. 


Maltby . 

Henry . 

William  A . 

Franklin . 

Exeter . 

Heidelberg  No.  2 
Prospect . 

Hazleton  No.  1 .. 


Hazleton  Shaft . 

Spring  Brook . 

Primrose . 

Heidelberg  No.  1 . 

Dorrance . 

Packer  No.  2 . 

Packer  No.  3 . 

Packer  No.  4 . 

Packer  No.  5 . 

Centralia  and  Continental 
Continental . 


Contents 
of  car 
to  water 
line. 

Topping 

required. 

Total 

contents. 

Cubic  feet. 

Inches. 

Cubic  feet. 

92.6 

6 

105. 6 

96.9 

6 

112. 9 

85.5 

6 

89.5 

102.8 

6 

119.8 

101.8 

6 

117.8 

120.5 

0 

120.5 

119.1 

2 

125. 1 

107. 1 

4 

120.1 

119.1 

0 

119.1 

88.3 

0 

88.3 

98.2 

0 

98.2 

103 

6 

119 

95.7 

6 

111.7 

90.3 

0 

90.3 

102.4 

0 

102.4 

123 

4 

134 

111.3 

4 

121.3 

115 

4 

126 

97.6 

6 

112.6 

126 

8 

150 

104.6 

0 

104.6 

104.6 

6 

120. 6 

100.2 

6 

115.2 

96.7 

6 

112.7 

83.8 

0 

83.8 

81.7 

0 

81.7 

94 

0 

94 

74.4 

0 

74.4 

96.8 

6 

111.8 

98.2 

6 

114.2 

107.2 

8 

129. 2 

127. 75 

0 

127. 75 

104.7 

6 

120. 7 

118.1 

4 

129. 1 

107.1 

4 

118.1 

102.9 

6 

120. 9 

114.2 

5 

127.2 

102.1 

4 

112. 1 

67.5 

6 

82.3 

68.6 

6 

81.6 

78.5 

6 

98.4 

78.5 

6 

98.4 

78.5 

6 

98.4 

78.5 

6 

98.4 

78.7 

6 

98.6 

90.1 

6 

109.3 

v  90.2 

6 

105.3 

104.2 

0 

104.2 

104.2 

0 

104.2 

6 

67. 92 

6 

76.85 

6 

74.17 

6 

76. 09 
85.21 

6 

77.90 

6 

88.90 

6 

89.56 

89.56 
90.84 
114  30 
105 
138 

105 

106 
111 

113. 13 
114. 30 
137.64 
137.64 
137. 64 
122 
129 
131 
123 


APPENDIX  E. 


COST  OF  LEADING  ARTICLES  OF  FOOD  IN 
ANTHRACITE  COAL  REGION,  1898  TO  1902. 


197 


< 


>. 


APPENDIX  E. 


COST  OF  LEADING  ARTICLES  OF  FOOD  IN  ANTHRACITE  COAL 

REGION,  1898  TO  1902. 

VALUE  OF  THE  AVERAGE  QUANTITY  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  ARTICLES 
OF  FOOD  CONSUMED  PER  FAMILY  IN  EACH  YEAR,  1898  TO  1902. 

[Tlie  data  on  which  this  table  is  based  were  secured  by  agents  of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Labor.  The  quantities  are  averages  from  statistics  obtained  from  424  families  in  the  anthracite  coal 
region  of  Pennsylvania.  The  prices  are  averages  of  statistics  obtained  from  58  retail  establishments 
in  13  cities  and  towns  of  the  same  region.] 


Bread . 

Butter . 

Cheese . 

Coffee . 

Eggs . 

Fish . 

Flour  and  meal 

Lard . 

Meat: 

Beef,  fresh. 

Beef,  salt  . . 

Pork,  fresh. 

Pork,  salt . . 

Poultry 

Milk,  fresh . 

Molasses . 

Potatoes  . 

Rice . 

Sugar  . 

Tea . 


Article. 


Average 
quantity  con¬ 
sumed  per 
family  in 


1901. 


25  loaves. . . . 
133  pounds  . 
38  pounds... 
45  pounds... 
56  dozen 


58  pounds. . . 
1,337  pounds 
97  pounds... 


325  pounds.. 
8  pounds  . . . 
145  pounds.. 
161  pounds. . 
25  pounds.. . 
220  quarts. . . 
30  quarts. . . . 
23  bushels... 
29  pounds  . . 
281  pounds  . 
13  pounds... 


Total  cost . . . 
Relative  cost 


Value  of  specified  quantity  in — 


1898. 

1899. 

1900. 

1901.- 

1902. 

$1.27 

$1.27 

$1.26 

$1.25 

$1.25 

33.36 

34. 39 

36. 71 

35. 60 

37.91 

5.26 

5.45 

6. 62 

5.  65 

5.75 

6.67 

6.63 

6.93 

6.88 

6.72 

10. 91 

11.37 

11.45 

12. 05 

13.08 

5. 10 

5. 14 

5. 27 

5.32 

5.  37 

35. 56 

31.55 

31.29 

32.36 

32.49 

9.87 

9. 78 

10.30 

11.67 

13.59 

39.59 

39.  88 

40.  30 

41.80 

45.53 

.83 

.88 

.91 

.95 

1.02 

16.81 

16. 92 

17. 20 

17.  91 

20.40 

18. 52 

19. 29 

20.  62 

22. 11 

24.86 

3.  49 

3.62 

3.69 

3. 66 

3.93 

15. 05 

15. 03 

15.42 

15.42 

15.71 

3. 17 

3.21 

3.25 

3. 30 

3.38 

19.67 

15.36 

14. 46 

17.50 

19.44 

2.  28 

2. 33 

2.34 

2.36 

2.36 

16.13 

16. 21 

17.03 

16.75 

15. 71 

6.44 

6.63 

6.63 

6.63 

6. 64 

249.  98 

244. 94 

250. 68 

259. 17 

275. 14 

96.5 

94.5 

96.7 

100.0 

106.2 

RELATIVE  RETAIL  PRICES  OF  FOOD  IN  THE  ANTHRACITE  COAL 

REGION  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

* 

[The  monthly  prices  on  which  this  table  is  based  were  secured  by  agents  of  the  United  States  Depart¬ 
ment  of  Labor  from  58  retail  establishments  in  13  cities  and  towns  of  Pennsylvania.  Numbers  in 
parenthesis  after  each  article  represent  the  number  of  series  of  price  quotations  secured  ior  the 
article  in  question.  Average  price  in  1901=100.0.] 


Year. 

Beans. 

(6) 

Bread. 

Flour. 

Corn 

meal. 

(V) 

Butter. 

(17) 

Cheese. 

(17) 

Coffee. 

(20) 

« 

Cur¬ 

rants. 

(1) 

Eggs. 

(17) 

Crack¬ 

ers. 

(1) 

Loaf. 

Rye. 

(l) 

Wheat. 

(19) 

Rve. 

(3) 

Wheat. 

(13) 

1898  . . . 

93.9 

125.0 

100.0 

101.5 

86.0 

117.4 

88.8 

94.0 

92.8 

96.6 

66.8 

90.5 

1899 . . . 

93.9 

106.3 

100.0 

101.5 

87.6 

100.7 

89.0 

96.7 

96.4 

96.6 

72. 4 

94. 5 

1900  . . . 

97.9 

100.0 

100.0 

100. 5 

87.6 

99.4 

90.5 

103.2 

99.4 

101.2 

110.9 

95. 1 

1901  . . . 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100. 0 

100.0 

100.0 

1902  . . . 

103.8 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

101.6 

98.5 

113.7 

100.4 

101.7 

97.5 

80.2 

108.7 

199 


200  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

RELATIVE  RETAIL  PRICES  OF  FOOD  IN  THE  ANTHRACITE  COAL 

REGION  OF  PENNSYLVANIA— Concluded. 


Fish. 

Meat. 

Lard. 

Beef, 

fresh. 

Lamb. 

Year. 

Fresh. 

Salt. 

nai 

Beef, 

Chick- 

\±0) 

• 

(3) 

(9) 

Boiling. 

Roast. 

Steak. 

Stew. 

Otll  t> 

(A\ 

Chops. 

Roast. 

Stew. 

(4) 

(20) 

(23) 

(3) 

(1) 

(2) 

(2) 

1898  . . . 

100.7 

94.3 

83.8 

86.0 

94.3 

96.0 

95.6 

88.3 

95.4 

100.0 

100.0 

94.1 

1899  _ 

99.3 

95.8 

83.8 

86.8 

94.5 

97.1 

96.8 

94.0 

99.0 

100.0 

100.0 

97.3 

1900  . . . 

100.7 

98.7 

88.2 

88.6 

96.3 

97.4 

99.4 

96.8 

101.1 

100.0 

98.4 

96.9 

1901  . . . 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

1902  ... 

94.6 

102.1 

117.1 

112.5 

107.9 

109.7 

115.1 

110.1 

107.6 

111.2 

109.  0 

109.2 

Meat. 


Year. 

Mut¬ 

ton. 

(4) 

Pork,  fresh. 

Pork 

salt. 

Sau¬ 

sage, 

bolo¬ 

gna. 

(3) 

Veal. 

(4) 

Boil¬ 

ing. 

(2) 

Chops 

and 

roasts. 

(21) 

Shoul¬ 

der. 

(4) 

Side. 

(1) 

Sau¬ 

sage. 

(3) 

Bacon. 

(20) 

H£m. 

(17) 

Mess, 

pickled. 

(3) 

Shoul¬ 

der. 

(2) 

1898  . . . 

100.0 

86.6 

95.0 

91.2 

100.0 

96.1 

82.0 

85.8 

80.2 

80.2 

105.1 

98.6 

1899  . . . 

100.0 

90.4 

95.3 

92.8 

100.0 

100.0 

85.0 

90.5 

80.3 

78.8 

98.7 

98.2 

1900  . . . 

100.0 

90.9 

95.9 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

90.3 

97.0 

90.8 

89.4 

100.0 

98.6 

1901  . . . 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

1902  . . . 

109.3 

127.1 

113.7 

115.4 

104.3 

105.1 

117.7 

109.1 

107.4 

110.9 

103.7 

111.3 

Year. 

Milk. 

Mo¬ 

lasses. 

(15) 

Oat¬ 

meal. 

(5) 

Rice. 

(13) 

Sugar. 

(16) 

Tea. 

(20) 

Vegetables,  canned. 

Vege¬ 

tables, 

fresh. 

Vine¬ 

gar. 

(4) 

Con¬ 

densed. 

(4) 

Fresh. 

(7) 

Corn. 

(2) 

Pease. 

(1) 

Toma¬ 

toes. 

(3) 

Pota¬ 

toes, 

Irish. 

(12) 

1898  . . . 

100.0 

97.7 

96.1 

98.9 

96.1 

96.3 

97.5 

95.0 

90.0 

90.5 

112.6 

100.0 

1899  . . . 

100.0 

97.5 

97.0 

98.9 

98.2 

96.9 

100.0 

95.0 

90.0 

90.7 

88.0 

100.0 

1900  . . . 

100.0 

100.1 

98.5 

94.6 

98.9 

101.7 

100.0 

97.5 

96.7 

91.7 

82.8 

100.0 

1901  . . . 

100.0 

100.  0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

1902  ... 

100.0 

101.9 

102.  7 

98.2 

100.0 

93.8 

100.1 

105.5 

107.3 

120.9 

111.2 

100.0 

AMOUNT  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  ARTICLES  OF  FOOD  WHICH  COULD  HAVE 
BEEN  BOUGHT  FOR  $1  IN  EACH  YEAR,  1898  TO  1902. 

[The  data  on  which  this  table  is  based  were  secured  by  agents  of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Labor  from  58  retail  establishments  in  13  cities  and  towns  of  Pennsylvania.] 


Article. 

Unit. 

1898. 

1899. 

1900. 

1901. 

1902. 

Rread  . . . 

Loaf .... 

19.  76 

19.  76 

19. 92 

20.00 

20. 00 

Butter  . 

Pound . . 

3.  99 

3. 87 

3.62 

3.74 

3.51 

Cheese . 

Pound . . 

7.23 

6.  97 

6.77 

6.  72 

6.61 

Coffee  . 

Pound . . 

6.75 

6.  79 

6.  49 

6.54 

6.70 

EfiTfiTS . 

Dozen  .. 

5. 13 

4.92 

4.89 

4.65 

4.28 

Pound . . 

11.36 

11. 29 

11.00 

10.  89 

10.81 

Flour  and  meal . 

Pound . . 

37.59 

42.37 

42. 74 

41.32 

41.15 

Lard . 

Pound . . 

9.82 

9.92 

9. 42 

8.  31 

7.14 

Meat: 

Beef  fresh  _  .  . . _ . 

Pound . . 

8.21 

8.15 

8.06 

7.78 

7.14 

Beef,  salt  . 

Pound . . 

9.65 

9.14 

8.76 

8. 43 

7.88 

Pork,  fresh . 

Pound . . 

8. 63 

8.  57 

8. 43 

8. 10 

7.11 

Pork,  salt . 

Pound . . 

8.  70 

8.35 

7.81 

7. 28 

6.48 

Poultry . 

Pound . . 

7.17 

6.92 

6.  78 

6.83 

6.36 

Milk,  fresh . . 

Quart... 
Quart. . . 
Bushel  . 

14.62 

14.64 

14.27 

14.27 

14.01 

Molasses . * . 

9.45 

9.36 

9.23 

9.10 

8.88 

Potatoes . 

1.17 

1.50 

1.59 

1.31 

1.18 

Pound . . 

12. 72 

12.47 

12.  38 

12.27 

12. 27 

Sugar  . 

Pound . . 

17.42 

17.33 

16.50 

16.  78 

17.89 

Pound . . 

2.02 

1.96 

1.96 

1.96 

1.96 

APPENDIX  E. 


CONSTITUTION  OF  UNITED  MINE  WORKERS 

OF  AMERICA. 


APPENDIX  F. 


CONSTITUTION  OF  NATIONAL  UNION,  UNITED  MINE  WORKERS 

OF  AMERICA.  (REVISION  1903.) 

PREAMBLE. 

There  is  no  fact  more  generally  known,  or  more  widely  believed, 
than  that  without  coal  there  would  not  have  been  any  such  grand 
achievements,  privileges  and  blessings  as  those  which  characterize  the 
twentieth  century  civilization,  and  believing  as  we  do,  that  those  whose 
lot  it  is  to  daily  toil  in  the  recesses  of  the  earth,  mining  and  putting 
out  this  coal  which  makes  these  blessings  possible  are  entitled  to  a  fair 
and  equitable  share  of  the  same;  therefore,  we  have  formed  “the  United 
Mine  Workers  of  America,”  for  the  purpose  of  the  more  readily  secur¬ 
ing  the  objects  sought  by  educating  all  mine  workers  in  America  to 
realize  the  necessity  of  unity  of  action  and  purpose,  in  demanding  and 
securing  by  lawful  means  the  just  fruits  of  our  toil.  And  we  hereby 
declare  to  the  world  that  our  objects  are — 

First.  To  secure  an  earning  fully  compatible  with  the  dangers  of 
our  calling  and  the  labor  performed. 

Second.  To  establish  as  speedily  as  possible,  and  forever,  our  right 
to  receive  pay,  for  labor  performed,  in  lawful  money,  and  to  rid  our¬ 
selves  of  the  iniquitous  system  of  spending  our  money  wherever  our 
employers  see  fit  to  designate. 

Third.  To  secure  the  introduction  of  any  and  all  well-defined  and 
established  appliances  for  the  preservation  of  life,  health  and  limbs 
of  all  mine  employees. 

Fourth.  To  reduce  to  the  lowest  possible  minimum  the  awful  catas¬ 
trophes  which  have  been  sweeping  our  fellow-craftsmen  to  untimely 
graves  by  the  thousands;  by  securing  legislation  looking  to  the  most 
perfect  system  of  ventilation,  drainage,  etc. 

Fifth.  To  enforce  existing  laws;  and  where  none  exist,  enact  and 
enforce  them;  calling  for  a  plentiful  supply  of  suitable  timber  for  sup¬ 
porting  the  roof,  pillars,  etc. ,  and  to  have  all  working  places  rendered 
as  free  from  water  and  impure  air  and  poisonous  gases  as  possible. 

Sixth.  To  uncompromisingly  demand  that  eight  hours  shall  consti¬ 
tute  a  day’s  work,  and  that  not  more  than  eight  hours  shall  be  worked 
in  any  one  day  by  any  mine  worker.  The  very  nature  of  our  employ¬ 
ment,  shut  out  from  the  sunlight  and  pure  air,  working  by  the  aid  of 
artificial  light  (in  no  instance  to  exceed  1  candlepower),  would,  in  itself, 
strongly  indicate  that,  of  all  men,  a  coal  miner  has  the  most  righteous 
claim  to  an  eight- hour  day. 

Seventh.  To  provide  for  the  education  of  our  children  by  lawfully 
prohibiting  their  employment  until  they  have  attained  a  reasonably 
satisfactory  education,  and  in  every  case  until  they  have  attained  14 
years  of  age. 

Eighth.  To  abrogate  all  laws  which  enable  coal  operators  to  cheat 

203 


204  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

the  miners,  and  to  substitute  laws  which  enable  the  miner,  under  the 
protection  and  majesty  of  the  State,  to  have  his  coal  properly  weighed 
or  measured,  as  the  case  may  be. 

Ninth.  To  secure,  by  legislation,  weekly  payments  in  lawful  money. 

Tenth.  To  render  it  impossible,  by  legislative  enactment  in  every 
State,  for  coal  operators  or  corporations  to  employ  Pinkerton  detect¬ 
ives  or  guards,  or  other  forces  (except  the  ordinary  forces  of  the  State) 
to  take  armed  possession  of  the  mines  in  cases  of  strikes  or  lockouts. 

Eleventh.  To  use  all  honorable  means  to  maintain  peace  between 
ourselves  and  employers;  adjusting  all  differences  so  far  as  possible,  by 
arbitration  and  conciliation,  that  strikes  may  become  unnecessary. 

CONSTITUTION. 

Article  I. — Name ,  objects  and  jurisdiction. 

Section  1.  This  organization  shall  be  known  as  the  United  Mine 
Workers  of  America. 

Sec.  2.  The  objects  of  this  union  are  to  unite  mme  employees  that 
produce  or  handle  coal  or  coke  in  or  around  the  mines,  and  ameliorate 
their  condition  by  methods  of  conciliation,  arbitration  or  strikes. 

Sec.  3.  This  organization  shall  be  composed  of  national,  district, 
subdistrict  and  local  unions. 

Sec.  4.  The  national  union  shall  have  jurisdiction  over  all  districts, 
subdistricts  and  local  unions  which  shall  be  governed  by  this  constitu¬ 
tion. 

Article  II. —  Officers  and  their  duties. 

Section  1.  The  officers  of  the  union  shall  be  one  president,  one  vice- 
president,  one  secretary-treasurer,  and  an  executive .  board  to  be  com¬ 
posed  of  one  member  from  each  district  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
United  Mine  Workers,  each  district  to  elect  its  member  of  the  national 
executive  board.  The  president,  vice-president,  and  secretary -treas¬ 
urer  to  be  members  of  the  board  by  reason  of  their  position. 

Sec.  2.  The  president  shall  preside  at  all  general  conventions  of  the 
union,  and  meetings  of  the  national  executive  board;  he  shall  sign  all 
bills  and  official  documents,  when  satisfied  of  their  correctness;  he 
shall,  with  the  consent  of  the  executive  board,  fill,  by  appointment,  all 
vacancies  occurring  in  any  national  office,  and  in  like  manner  may  sus¬ 
pend  or  remove  any  national  officer  for  insubordination,  or  just  and 
sufficient  cause;  he  shall,  with  the  consent  of  the  executive  beard, 
appoint  a  man,  whose  duty  shall  be  to  collect  and  compile  statistics  on 
the  production,  distribution,  consumption,  freight  rates,  market  con¬ 
ditions,  and  any  other  matters  of  interest  connected  with  the  coal 
trade,  and  from  time  to  time  appoint  such  organizers  and  workers  in 
the  national  office  or  in  the  field,  as  may  be  required;  lie  shall  send  out 
in  circular  form  to  all  locals  six  weeks  previous  to  national  convention, 
such  recommendations  as  he  may  deem  wise,  to  be  acted  on  at  a 
national  convention,  so  delegates  to  said  convention  may  have  the 
advice  of  their  respective  locals  on  such  recommendations;  he  may 
attend  in  person  or  send  a  national  officer  to  visit  local  unions,  district, 
and  subdistrict  conventions  and  any  other  places  connected  with  the 
United  Mine  Workers  of  America,  when  convinced  that  such  services 
are  required;  he  may  appoint  one  or  more  officers  or  members,  when 


APPENDIX  F. - CONSTITUTION  OF  UNITED  MINE  WORKERS.  205 


deemed  necessary,  whose  duty  will  be  to  examine  the  financial  accounts 
of  any  local  union,  instruct  the  officers  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties, 
and  report  to  the  president  the  standing  of  each  local  union  visited; 
he  shall  devote  his  time  and  attention  to  the  affairs  of  the  union;  decide 
all  questions  of  dispute  concerning  the  meaning  of  the  constitution, 
and  exercise  general  supervision  over  its  workings,  both  in  the  field 
and  in  the  national  offices,  as  his  judgment  dictates  or  the  exigencies 
of  the  case  require;  he  shall,  quarterly,  name  the  password  for  the  use 
of  the  local  unions;  he  shall  appoint  each  year,  on  the  first  day  the 
annual  convention  meets,  a  committee  of  three  whose  duties  shall  be 
to  receive  and  pass  upon,  as  to  where  all  resolutions  and  amendments 
to  the  constitution  presented  by  the  delegates  belong,  and  distribute 
them  to  the  proper  committees  direct  that  have  been  appointed  to  act 
upon  them. 

Sec.  3.  The  vice-president  shall  act  as  general  organizer,  and  shall 
be  under  the  direction  of  the  president,  and  shall  succeed  that  officer 
in  case  of  death,  resignation  or  removal  from  office. 

Sec.  4.  The  secretary-treasurer  shall  have  charge  of  and  preserve 
all  books,  documents  and  effects  of  the  national  office;  shall  record 
proceedings  of  all  conventions  and  of  the  meetings  of  the  executive 
board,  and  shall  keep  copies  of  important  letters  sent  out  by  him;  he 
shall  receive  and  receipt  for  all  moneys,  pay  all  bills  and  current 
expenses  unless  otherwise  ordered  by  the  president;  he  shall  prepare 
and  submit  to  the  locals  a  quarterly  statement  showing  the  salary  and 
expenses  of  each  officer  and  employee,  and  a  report  of  all  moneys 
received  and  disbursed,  and  in  his  quarterly  report  he  shall  compile 
the  income  from  each  district  separately,  giving  the  totals;  he  shall 
give  a  bond  of  $25,000  for  the  safe-keeping  of  all  money  intrusted  to 
him  (which  must  be  approved  by  the  national  executive  board  and 
deposited  with  the  president);  but  he  shall  not  have  more  than  $15,000 
subject  to  his  order  at  any  one  time.  All  further  funds  must  be  de¬ 
posited  by  him  subject  to  the  order  of  the  executive  board;  he  shall, 
quarterly,  send  to  all  district  secretaries  the  password,  whose  duty 
it  shall  be  to  transmit  it  to  all  locals  that  may  be  in  good  standing  in 
his  district  (it  shall  be  the  duty  of  all  parties  receiving  this  letter  in 
writing  to  destroy  it  at  once,  and  no  one  shall  transmit  it  without  the 
proper  authority);  he  shall  send  copies  of  all  official  documents  to 
each  district  secretary  and  national  officer  and  executive  board  mem¬ 
ber;  he  shall  employ  such  assistants  as  may  be  necessary  to  conduct 
the  affairs  of  his  office,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  president,  and 
shall  perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be  assigned  him. 

Sec.  5.  The  executive  board  shall  constitute  a  national  board  of  con¬ 
ciliation  and  arbitration;  shall  execute  the  orders  of  the  national  con¬ 
vention,  and  between  conventions  shall  have  full  power  to  direct  the 
workings  of  the  organization,  also  to  levy  and  collect  assessments  when 
necessary.  It  shall  hold  in  trust  for  the  United  Mine  Workers  of 
America  all  money  deposited  in  the  name  of  the  executive  board  by 
the  secretary-treasurer,  but  under  no  circumstances  shall  said  money 
be  drawn  upon  except  upon  the  written  order  of  two-thirds  of  the 
members  of  the  national  executive  board. 

Sec.  6.  The  national  executive  board  shall  have  power  to  order  a 
general  strike  or  suspension  by  a  two-thirds  vote  at  any  time  during 
the  year  that  they  deem  necessary,  and  each  member  shall  have  one 
vote,  and  one  additional  vote  for  every  2,000  members  in  good  stand- 


206  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


ing-  they  represent,  or  a  majority  fraction  thereof:  Provided ,.  That  all 
district  presidents,  vice-presidents  and  secretaries  be  called  into  joint 
conference  for  consideration  before  any  general  strike  or  suspension 
order  be  issued. 

Sec.  7.  The  national  executive  board  shall  be  convened  upon  the 
order  of  the  president,  or  by  the  secretary-treasurei  at  the  lecjuest  of 
11  members  of  the  board. 

Sec.  8.  The  term  of  all  elective  officers  shall  be  from  April  1  to 
March  31  of  each  year. 

Article  III. — Qualifications  and  salary  of  officers. 


Section  1.  Any  member  in  good  standing  in  the  organization  shall 
be  eligible  to  hold  office  in  the  national. union  provided  he  is  not  a  sal¬ 
aried  officer  of  a  district  at  the  same  time,  and  has  been  a  member  of 
a  local  union  for  one  year  prior  to  his  election. 

Sec.  2.  The  president’s  salary  shall  be  $3,000  per  annum,  and  all 
legitimate  expenses;  vice-president,  $2,500  per  annum,  and  all  legiti¬ 
mate  expenses;  secretary -treasurer,  $2,500  per  annum,,  and  all  legiti¬ 
mate  expenses,  and  the  editor  of  the  official  organ,  viz,  The  United 
Mine  Workers’  Journal,  $1,500  per  annum;  executive  board  mem¬ 
bers,  $4  per  day,  and  all  legitimate  expenses,  when  employed  by  the 
president  to  work  in  the  interest  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of 
America 

Sec.  3.  The  compensation  of  tellers,  auditing  and  credential  com¬ 
mittee  shall  be  $4  per  day,  and  legitimate  expenses  for  all  time  actually 
employed  in  the  performance  of  their  duty.  The  above-mentioned 
officers,  editor  and  organizers  shall  receive,  in  addition  to  their  sal¬ 
aries,  all  legitimate  expenses,  when  employed  by  the  organization  and 
away  from  their  home  city. 

Sec.  4.  The  salary  of  other  employees,  not  elected  by  the  conven¬ 
tion  shall  be  determined  by  the  national  executive  board,  or  when  the 
board  is  not  in  session,  by  the  national  president,  in  accordance  with 
their  work  or  responsibility. 

Article  IY. — Revenues. 


Section  1.  Every  local  union  shall  pay  direct  to  the  national  secre¬ 
tary-treasurer  a  per  capita  tax  of  10  cents  per  month  per  member  and 
such  additional  assessments  as  may  be  levied  by  the  national  executive 
board.  Boys  under  16  years  of  age  shall  be  known  as  half  members 
and  shall  pay  one-half  as  much  tax  and  assessment  as  full  members. 

Sec.  2.  The  local  secretary  shall  fill  out  and  forward  to  the  national 
and  district  secretary -treasurer,  on  or  before  the  25tli  of  each  month, 
a  report  of  all  members  in  good  standing  in  the  local  union  on  the  first 
day  of  that  month,  together  with  all  taxes  and  assessments  due  to  the 

national  and  district  offices  from  the  same. 

Sec.  3.  Should  satisfactory  evidence  be  produced  that  any  local  sec¬ 
retary  has  failed  to  report  monthly  the  full  membership  of  his  union 
to  the  national  and  district  secretaries,  together  with  the  payment  of 
dues  and  assessments  on  the  same  number  of  members  that  have  paid 
to  the  local  union,  said  local  union  shall  be  suspended  from  all  priv¬ 
ileges  or  benefits  until  such  deficiency  is  made  good. 

Sec.  4.  In  filling  out  the  monthly  report  the  local  secretary  shall 


APPENDIX  F. 


CONSTITUTION  OF' UNITED  MINE  WORKERS.  207 


report  to  the  national  office  on  blanks  furnished  for  that  purpose,  the 
amount  of  money  paid  and  the  number  of  members  reported  to  the 
district  secretary,  and  to  the  district  office  the  amount  of  money  and 
number  of  members  reported  to  the  national  secretary-treasurer,  and 
shall  sign  a  certificate  showing  that  the  report  is  for  the  full  number 
of  members  in  good  standing  in  the  local. 

Sec.  5.  No  local  union  shall  be  exonerated  from  the  payment  of  per 
capita  tax  or  assessments  unless  their  members  have  been  idle  for  one 
month  or  more. 

Sec.  6.  Where  a  mine  is  abandoned  indefinitely  and  all  the  members 
of  the  local  union  at  that  mine  have  gone  to  work  elsewhere,  the  local 
secretary  shall  notify  the  district  secretary  of  the  fact  and  the  district 
secretary  shall  make  application  for  exoneration  for  the  local  union 
each  month  to  the  national  secretary -treasurer  until  work  is  resumed 
at  the  mines  and  the  local  union  is  again  placed  in  working  condition. 

Sec.  7.  In  all  cases  where  local  unions  desire  to  be  exonerated  from 
the  payment  of  tax  and  assessments,  a  request  must  be  signed  by  the 
president,  secretary  and  mine  committee.  In  such  cases  the  presi¬ 
dent,  secretary  and  committee  must  attach  their  individual  signatures; 
but  no  local  union  shall  be  exonerated  from  such  payment  until  their 
request  has  been  approved  by  the  district  and  national  secretary,  and 
the  request  must  be  made  each  month  in  place  of  the  regular  monthly 
financial  report  as  long  as  the  members  remain  idle. 

Sec.  8.  The  local  monthly  dues  to  be  paid  by  each  member  shall  not 
be  less  than  25  cents  per  month,  together  with  such  assessments  as 
may  be  levied  by  the  different  branches  of  the  United  Mine  Workers 
of  America. 

Sec.  9.  A  uniform  initiation  fee  of  $10  shall  be  established  in  all 
districts,  commencing  April  1,  1903.  The  national  president  shall  be 
empowered  to  grant  a  dispensation  to  such  districts,  or  localities,  when 
upon  investigation  it  is  deemed  advisable  to  do  so.  Top  and  bottom 
men  who  are  admitted  under  this  fee,  shall  comply  with  the  laws  relat¬ 
ing  to  inexperienced  men,  that  districts  may  adopt  sons  of  members 
between  14  and  16  years  of  age,  shall  pay  an  initiation  fee  of  $2.50. 

Article  V. — Conventions  and  representation. 

Section  1.  The  national  convention  shall  be  held  annually  on  the 
third  Monday  in  January,  at  such  place  as  may  be  determined  upon 
by  the  preceding  convention.  Special  conventions  shall  be  called  by 
the  president,  when  so  instructed  by  the  executive  board,  or  at  the 
request  of  five  districts. 

Sec.  2.  Representatives  to  the  national  convention  shall  be  elected 
directly  from  local  unions  and  shall  have  1  vote  for  100  members  or 
less,  and  an  additional  vote  for  each  100  members  or  majority  fraction 
thereof,  but  no  representative  shall  have  more  than  5  votes,  and  no 
person  shall  be  eligible  as  representative  who  is  not  a  miner  or  mine 
worker  or  employed  by  the  organization,  and  is  a  bona  fide  member  of 
a  local  union  in  the  district  where  said  delegate  resides.  (Note. — The 
term  u  miner  or  mine  worker”  includes  anyone  working  in  or  around 
the  mines  and  a  member  of  a  local  union.) 

Sec.  3.  No  local  union  shall  be  entitled  to  representation  in  the 
national  convention  that  is  in  arrears  for  dues  or  assessments  for  two 


208  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

months  preceding  the  one  in  which  the  national  convention  is  held  and 
who  has  not  in  every  particular  complied  with  the  constitution  of  the 
district  in  which  said  local  union  may  be  located,  or  which  has  less 
than  ten  members,  and  any  mine  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United 
Mine  Workers,  having  been  once  organized  for  a  period  of  three 
months  and  allowing  itself  to  become  lapsed,  defunct,  or  refusing  to 
pay  dues  or  assessments  to  the  organization,  shall  pay  a  sum.  equal  to 
three  months’  dues  and  assessments  on  all  members  to  the  national  and 
district  unions,  before  it  can  be  reinstated  or  reorganized,  and  must  be 
in  good  standing  for  four  months  previous  to  the  month  in  which  the 
national  convention  is  held  before  said  local  union  shall  be  entitled  to 
representation  in  the  annual  or  special  conventions. 

Sec.  4.  If  it  shall  appear,  upon  investigation,  that  any  local  union 
has  lapsed  in  order  to  evade  the  payment  of  tax  or  assessments,  the 
national  executive  board  may  insist  upon  the  payment  of  all  back 
taxes  and  assessments. 

Sec.  5.  All  newly  organized  locals  must  be  organized  at  least  three 
months  and  have  two  months’  dues  paid  prior  to  the  month  in  which 
the  national  convention  is  held  before  they  will  be  entitled  to  repre¬ 
sentation,  unless  said  new  locals  are  composed  of  members  from  old 
locals  in  good  standing  at  time  of  organization;  the  fact  that  a  new 
local  is  composed  of  members  of  an  old  local  must  be  attested  by  the 
district  secretary. 

Sec.  6.  Representation  shall  be  based  upon  the  average  membership 
of  the  local  union  for  the  last  three  months  upon  which  payment  has 
been  made,  previous  to  the  month  in  which  the  national  convention  is 
held.  * 

Sec.  7.  Any  member  of  the  United  Mine  WTorkers  of  America 
accepting  a  position  other  than  that  of  a  miner  or  mine  worker  shall 
not  be  eligible  to  act  as  representative  to  any  subdistrict,  district  or 
national  convention  while  holding  such  position,  but  accepting  a  posi¬ 
tion  with  the  United  Mine  Workers  shall  not  be  construed  as  making 
a  member  ineligible  to  act  as  representative. 

Sec.  8.  The  books  of  the  secretary-treasurer  shall  be  closed  for  the 
year  on  November  30  and  no  credentials  shall  be  received  after  January 
10,  nor  shall  any  delegate  be  entitled  to  a  seat  in  the  national  conven¬ 
tion  unless  their  local  union  was  in  good  standing  on  December  1,  pre¬ 
ceding  the  date  upon  which  the  annual  convention  is  held. 

Sec.  9.  Delegates  to  the  national  convention  shall  be  paid  railroad 
fare  to  and  from  the  convention  on  the  following  basis:  Delegates  shall 
represent  five  locals  if  said  locals  contain  not  more  than  500  members. 
Wnen  there  are  500  members  in  one  local  or  a  less  number  than  five 
locals,  such  local  or  locals  shall  be  entitled  to  send  a  delegate,  and  any 
local  union  situated  one  or  more  miles  from  any  other  local  union,  shall 
be  entitled  to  send  a  representative,  and  should  there  be  more  than  five 
votes  in  any  one  local  or  group  of  locals  they  also  shall  be  entitled  to 
a  representative  for  the  additional  members  as  provided  for  in  this 
constitution.  The  executive  board  shall  have  power  to  levy  on  the 
members  to  carry  out  the  above  provisions,  provided  said  levy  be 
necessary. 

Sec.  10.  Where  railroad  certificates  can  not  be  obtained  by  delegates 
attending  the  national  convention  they  shall  furnish  receipts  for  the 
fare  paid. 


APPENDIX  E. - CONSTITUTION  OF  UNITED  MINE  WORKERS.  209 

* 

Article  yi. — Nominations  and  elections. 

Section  1.  The  president,  vice-president,  secretary-treasurer,  audit¬ 
ors,  tellers,  and  delegates  to  the  American  Federation  of  Labor  shall 
be  elected  by  a  majority  of  the  popular  vote  of  the  members  in  good 
standing  in  the  national,  district  and  local  organizations. 

Sec.  2.  The  national  secretary-treasurer  shall  prepare  nomination 
blanks  and  send  them  from  his  office  to  the  local  unions  not  later  than 
fifteen  weeks  before  the  annual  convention,  and  the  local  secretaries 
shall  fill  in  the  names  of  the  persons  nominated  by  the  local  for  the 
various  positions,  and  forward  the  same  to  reach  the  national  secretary- 
treasurer’s  office  not  later  than  eleven  weeks  before  the  annual  con¬ 
vention. 

Sec.  3.  The  national  secretary-treasurer  shall,  within  ten  days  after 
the  nominations  are  closed,  notify  all  persons  who  have  been  nominated 
and  ask  if  they  are  candidates,  but  no  person  shall  be  notified  or  be  a 
candidate  who  has  not  been  nominated  by  three  or  more  local  unions. 

Sec.  4.  The  national  secretary -treasurer  shall  compile  a  list  of  those 
accepting  the  nominations,  giving  the  district  and  State  in  which  each 
candidate  resides,  and  send  them  out  to  the  local  unions  on  ballots  pre¬ 
pared  for  that  purpose  not  later  than  seven  weeks  prior  to  the  conven¬ 
tion,  but  no  person’s  name  shall  be  placed  on  the  ballot  whose  consent 
has  not  been  received  at  least  ten  days  before  the  nominations  are  sent 
out,  nor  shall  any  name  be  removed  from  the  ballot  after  consent  has 
been  given. 

Sec.  5.  No  person  shall  be  elected  to  office  who  has  not  been  nomi¬ 
nated  and  given  his  consent  as  provided  in  the  previous  sections. 

Sec.  6.  Secretaries  of  local  unions  shall,  under  penalty  of  suspen¬ 
sion  from  office,  notify  their  members  one  week  prior  to  the  date  set 
for  the  election  of  national  officers  and  shall  record  the  vote  on  the 
returning  sheet  opposite  the  names  of  candidates  for  which  said  vote 
or  votes  have  been  cast.  No  member  shall  be  allowed  more  than  one 
vote  for  any  one  candidate,  nor  shall  the  secretary  record  the  vote  of 
any  member  that  is  not  present  at  the  time  the  election  is  held,  except 
officers,  organizers  or  workers  in  the  field  away  from  home,  whose 
vote  shall  be  counted  if  sent  to  the  secretaries  of  their  respective  local 
unions,  and  the, ballot  shall  be  sent  in  special  envelopes,  sealed,  and 
marked  44  Election  returns,”  addressed  to  the  national  secretary- 
treasurer,  not  later  than  twenty  days  prior  to  the  national  convention, 
and  shall  be  deposited  by  him  in  an  unopened  ballot  box  prepared  for 
the  purpose.  The  ballot  box  shall  be  opened  only  by  the  national  tel¬ 
lers,  or'their  alternates,  and  should  any  such  envelope  be  found  opened, 
the  same  shall  not  be  counted.  The  correctness  of  the  returning  sheets 
must  be  attested  to  by  the  president  and  secretary  of  the  local  union, 
and  should  it  be  proven  that  there  have  been  more  votes  reported  on 
the  returning  sheet  than  were  actually  cast  by  the  members  present  at 
the  meeting  where  the  vote  was  taken,  the  whole  vote  of  the  local  union 
shall  be  thrown  out  and  the  local  suspended  for  the  period  of  three 
months. 

Sec.  7.  The  tellers  or  their  alternates  shall  canvass  the  votes  and 
report  their  findings  to  the  national  convention  on  return  sheets  pre¬ 
pared  for  the  purpose.  The  candidates  receiving  the  majority  of  the 
votes  cast  shall  be  declared  elected  to  the  respective  positions  named. 
In  case  of  no  election,  the  same  shall  be  determined  by  the  convention 


S.  Doc.  6 - 14 


210  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

then  in  session,  and  delegates  shall  cast  by  ballot  the  number  of  votes 
for  which  their  local  unions  have  paid  per  capita  tax. 

Sec.  8.  The  election  shall  be  held  during  the  second  week  in  Decem¬ 
ber,  and  every  member  in  good  standing  on  the  1st  of  December  shall 
be  entitled  to  vote. 

Article  VII. —  Cards. 

Section  1.  Local  unions  shall  provide  each  member  with  a  due 
card,  upon  which  the  dues  and  assessments  paid  by  the  member  shall 
be  entered,  which  shall  be  his  receipt  for  the  same. 

Sec.  2.  Due  cards  shall  not  admit  any  person  to  membership  from 
one  local  to  another,  and  to  protect  the  membership  of  individuals  who 
are  unable  to  pay  their  dues  because  of  no  local  existing  where  they 
reside,  the  national  district  and  subdistrict  secretaries  shall,  upon 
the  payment  of  dues  and  assessments  by  said  member,  issue  the  usual 
cards  for  the  same:  Provided ,  That  this  shall  not  apply  to  a  member  of 
the  organization  living  in  a  locality  where  a  local  union  is  in  existence. 

Sec.  3.  No  person  a  member  of  the  organization,  who  holds  a  due 
or  transfer  card  showing  him  to  be  a  member  in  good  standing,  shall 
be  debarred  or  hindered  from  obtaining  work  on  account  of  race, 
creed  or  nationality.  Cards  properly  filled  out  and  signed  by  the 
officers  of  miners’  unions  in  foreign  countries  shall  be  accepted  in  lieu 
of  initiation  fees. 

Sec.  4.  Any  member  desiring  to  leave  the  mine  where  his  local  is 
located  and  work  elsewhere,  shall,  immediately  after  he  has  secured 
employment  at  another  mine,  make  application  to  the  secretary  of  the 
local  for  a  transfer  card,  and  if  he  has  paid  all  dues  and  assessments, 
the  president  and  recording  secretary  shall  issue  a  transfer  card  to 
him,  which  shall  be  attested  by  the  financial  secretary :  Provided,  The 
local  union  is  in  good  standing  with  the  national  district  and  subdis¬ 
trict  unions.  All  transfer  cards  shall  be  deposited  as  the  laws  of  the 
district  where  work  is  secured  may  direct. 

Sec.  5.  A  transfer  card,  issued  to  any  person  who  has  not  been  a 
member  of  the  organization  three  or  more  months,  shall  not  be  accepted 
by  any  local  union  in  a  different  district  from  the  one  in  which  the 
local  union  issuing  the  same  is  located. 

Sec.  6.  No  transfer  card  shall  be  issued  to  any  member  when  the 
local  is  three  or  more  months  in  arrears  to  the  national,  district  or 
subdistrict  for  dues  or  assessments.  Officers  of  any  local  union  issu¬ 
ing  cards  in  violation  of  this  section,  shall  be  fined  $10  for  each  card 
issued,  the  fine  to  be  collected  in  the  same  manner  as  dues  and  assess¬ 
ments. 

Sec.  7.  The  transfer  card  must  show  that  the  member  receiving  it 
has  paid  all  dues  and  assessments  to  date  of  issuing  same  and  also  show 
at  what  labor  he  was  employed. 

Sec.  8.  When  a  transfer  card  is  issued  to  any  member  it  must  be 
deposited  by  him  with  some  local  union  or  with  the  national  secretary- 
treasurer,  within  three  months  after  the  date  upon  which  it  was  issued 
to  him,  else  the  card  will  become  void  and  he  can  only  become  a  mem¬ 
ber  again  by  initiation  as  a  new  member. 

Sec.  9.  When  a  member  presents  a  transfer  card  to  a  local  union 
at  any  time  where  he  works  or  desires  to  work,  the  local  union  must 
accept  the  same  and  admit  him  to  membership  in  that  local,  unless  the 


APPENDIX  F. - CONSTITUTION  OF  UNITED  MINE  WORKERS.  211 


local  issuing  the  same  is  not  in  good  standing,  as  shown  by  the  monthly 
report  of  the  secretary-treasurer,  or  the  person  to  whom  the  card  is 
issued  has  not  been  three  months  a  member  of  the  organization,  and 
shall  collect  from  him  all  dues  and  assessments  from  the  time  between 
the  date  of  issuing  and  date  of  depositing  the  same. 

Sec.  10.  The*  national  secretary-treasurer  shall  not  accept  a  transfer 
card  if  the  member  is  where  he  can  deposit  it  with  a  local  union. 

Sec.  11.  The  national  secretary-treasurer  shall  prepare  and  send 
out  monthly  a  statement  of  all  locals  three  months  or  more  in  arrears 
for  dues  or  assessments,  and  no  local  union  shall  refuse  to  accept  a 
transfer  card  from  any  local  unless  it  appears  on  said  list  as  being  in 
bad  standing. 

Sec.  12.  All  transfer  cards  shall  be  made  in  book  form,  with  stub 
attached.  The  books  to  be  numbered,  and  each  card  in  the  book  to  be 
numbered  and  bear  the  number  of  the  book.  The  stub  to  be  printed 
in  conformity  with  the  card  itself,  and  both  shall  be  filled  out  by  the 
president  and  secretary  of  the  local  union  granting  the  same,  the  stub 
to  be  retained  by  the  local  union  for  future  reference. 

Transfer  Card  No.  — .  Book  No.  — . 

United  Mine  Workers  of  America — One  and  indissoluble. 

To  whom  it  may  concern,  greeting: 

This  is  to  certify  that - ,  whose  name  is  written  in  the  margin  in  his 

own  handwriting,  was  initiated  (or  admitted  by  card)  by  local  union  No.  — ,  on 

the - day  of - ,  19 — ,  and  is  a - by  occupation.  Having  paid  all  dues 

and  assessments  against  him  and  being  clear  from  all  charges  up  to  and  including 
this  month,  in  accordance  with  the  constitution  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of 

America,  local  union  No.  — ,  located  at - ,  district  No.  — ,  hereby  grants  him  this 

transfer  card.  Upon  depositing  this  card  with  any  local  union,  it  shall  be  received. 

In  testimony  whereof  we  have  hereunto  subscribed  our  names  and  affixed  the  seal 
of  our  union,  this - day  of - ,  19 — . 

- ,  President. 

- — ,  Recording  Secretary 

- ,  Financial  Secretary. 

Note. — Stub  of  this  card  is  retained  by  local  union  issuing  it,  for  future  reference. 

Article  VIII. — Supplies. 

Section  1.  The  price  of  a  charter  and  supplies  shall  be  $15,  and 
shall  consist  of  1  charter,  1  press  seal,  1  ledger,  1  record,  1  book  of 
orders  on  the  treasury,  1  treasurer’s  receipt  book,  50  constitutions,  50 
due  cards,  1  book  of  transfer  cards,  4  manuals,  1  gavel,  1  copy  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  last  annual  convention,  and  such  documents  as  the 
national  secretary-treasurer  may,  from  time  to  time,  desire  to  send  out. 

Sec.  2.  Due  cards,  transfer  cards  and  other  supplies  shall  be  fur¬ 
nished  by  the  national  union  to  the  local  unions  at  such  rates  as  the 
national  executive  board  may  determine. 

Article  IX. — Organizers. 

Section  1.  Commissions  as  organizer  shall  be  signed  by  the  presi¬ 
dent  and  attested  by  the  secretary-treasurer. 

Sec.  2.  Organizers  not  under  salary  from  the  national  union  may 
retain  $7  from  the  charter  fees  of  new  locals  organized  by  them,  to 


212  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

pay  them  for  their  time,  and  shall  send  the  other  $8  to  the  national 
office  with  their  report. 

Sec.  3.  When  a  local  union  is  formed  the  organizer  shall  send  in  a 
report  of  the  same  to  the  national  office,  together  with  the  charter 
fees,  within  one  week  from  the  date  of  organizing,  or  show  just  cause 
for  the  delay. 

Article  X. — Strikes. 

Section  1.  When  trouble  of  a  local  character  arises  between  mem¬ 
bers  of  a  local  union  and  their  employers,  the  officers  of  said  local 
shall  endeavor  to  effect  an  amicable  adjustment,  and  failing  m  this 
they  shall  immediately  notify  the  officers  of  the  district  to  which  the 
affected  locals  are  attached,  and  said  district  officers  shall  immediately 
investigate  the  cause  of  complaint;  and  failing  to  effect  a  peaceable 
settlement  on  a  basis  that  would  be  fair  and  just  to  aggrieved  mem¬ 
bers,  finding  that  a  strike  would  best  serve  the  interests  of  the  locality 
affected,  they  may  order  the  inauguration  of  a  strike,  but  no  local 
strike  shall  be  legalized  or  supported  by  a  district  unless  its  inaugura¬ 
tion  was  approved  by  the  officers  of  the  district  or  by  the  national 
executive  board,  upon  an  appeal  taken  by  the  aggrieved  members 
from  the  decision  of  the  district  officers;  any  local  union  striking  in 
violation  of  the  above  provisions  shall  not  be  sustained  or  recognized 
by  the  national  officers. 

Sec.  2.  Before  final  action  is  taken  by  any  district  upon  questions 
that  directly  or  indirectly  affect  the  interests  of  the  mine  workers  of 
another  district,  or  that  require  a  strike  to  determine,  the  president 
and  secretary  of  the  aggrieved  district  shall  jointly  prepare,  sign  and 
forward  to  the  national  president  a  written  statement  setting  forth 
the  grievance  complained  of,  the  action  contemplated  by  the  district, 
together  with  the  reasons  therefor,  and  the  national  president  shall 
within  five  days  after  the  receipt  of  such  statement, .  either  approve  or 
disapprove  of  the  action  contemplated  by  the  aggrieved  district,  and 
such  approval  or  disapproval,  together  with  the  reasons  therefor, 
shall  be  made  in  writing,  and  a  copy  forwarded  to  the  secretary  of  the 
complaining  district.  Should  the  action  contemplated  by  the  aggrieved 
district  receive  the  approval  of  the  national  president,  the  district  shall 
be  free  to  act,  but  should  the  national  president  disapprove  the  action 
contemplated,  the  district  may  appeal  to  the  national  executive  board, 
which  shall  be  convened  to  consider  such  appeal  within  five  days  after 
its  receipt  by  the  national  secretary.  Until  the  national  president  has 
approved,  or  the  national  executive  board  has  sustained  the  appeal,  no 
district  shall  be  free  to  enter  upon  a  strike  unless  it  shall  have  been 
ordered  by  a  national  convention. 

Sec.  3.  When  an}^  member  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  is  sus¬ 
pended  or  discharged,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  mine  committee  to 
immediately  investigate  the  case,  and  if  the  member  discharged  is  not 
guilt v  of  an  offense  justifying  the  same,  the  grievance  shall  imme¬ 
diately  be  reported  to  the  subdistrict  and  district  president  in  writing, 
under  the  seal  of  the  local,  and  if,  upon  investigation,  the  report  of 
the  local  committee  is  found  correct,  the  subdistrict  and  district  presi¬ 
dent  shall  immediately  insist  upon  the  reinstatement  of  the  suspended 
or  discharged  member. 

Sec.  4.  The  national  officers  shall,  at  any  time  they  deem  it  to  the 
best  interest  of  mine  workers  in  a  district  that  is  idle,  for  just  and 


APPENDIX  E. - CONSTITUTION  OF  UNITED  MINE  WORKERS.  213 


sufficient  reasons,  order  a  suspension  in  any  other  district  or  districts 
that  would  in  any  wa}7  impede  the  settlement  of  the  district  affected: 
Provided ,  That  such  action  would  conserve  to  the  best  interests  of  the 
United  Mine  Workers  of  America. 

Article  XI. — Miscellaneous. 


Section  1.  No  one  shall  be  elected  auditor  or  teller  who  holds  a 
national  office. 

Sec.  2.  The  auditors  shall  examine  the  books  of  the  national 
secretary-treasurer  quarterly,  and  cause  their  report  to  be  published 
in  the  United  Mine  Workers’  Journal. 

Sec.  3.  Three  auditors,  who  shall  also  act  as  a  credential  committee, 
shall  be  elected  as  provided  for  in  Article  Yl,  no  two  of  whom  shall 
be  from  the  same  district,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  meet  at  the 
national  headquarters  not  later  than  ten  days  prior  to  the  holding  of 
the  annual  convention,  to  examine  all  credentials  and  books  necessary 
to  make  a  full  and  complete  report  of  delegates  entitled  to  seats  in 
such  convention. 

Sec.  4.  Three  tellers  shall  be  elected  as  provided  for  in  Article  VI, 
no  two  of  whom  shall  be  from  the  same  district;  they  shall  meet  at 
the  national  office  not  later  than  five  days  prior  to  the  holding  of  the 
annual  convention  and  count  the  returns  as  prescribed  by  the  consti¬ 
tution. 

Sec.  5.  The  national  officers  shall  have  power  to  change  the  bound¬ 
ary  and  jurisdiction  of  districts,  as  the  conditions  may  require  between 
conventions:  Provided ,  however ,  That  they  consult  the  district  officers 
that  such  changes  of  boundary  and  jurisdiction  may  affect,  and  in  no 
case  shall  any  such  change  be  made  until  affected  locals  shall  have  paid 
all  tax  and  assessments  due  to  the  district  to  which  they  are  attached. 

Sec.  6.  No  local  union  shall  divide  the  funds  of  the  union  at  any 
time  among  its  members,  and  should  any  local  union  disband  or  cease 
to  work  for  any  cause,  all  moneys,  supplies  and  other  properties 
belonging  to  the  local  union  shall  be  turned  over  to  the  national  organ¬ 
ization.  The  above  provision  shall  not  be  construed  to  prevent  the 
use  of  the  funds  for  legitimate  purposes. 

Sec.  7.  This  constitution  may  be  amended  by  majority  of  all  the 
votes  cast. 


Article  XII. — Districts. 


Section  1.  Districts  shall  be  formed  with  such  number  and  territory 
as  may  be  assigned  them  by  the  national  officers,  and  shall  be  subject 
to  the  jurisdiction,  laws,  rules  and  usages  of  the  national  union. 

Sec.  2.  Districts  may  adopt  such  laws  for  their  government  as  they 
may  deem  necessary,  provided  they  do  not  conflict  with  the  national 
constitution. 

Article  XIII. — Subdistricts. 


Section  1.  Subdistricts  may  be  formed  with  such  number  and  terri¬ 
tory  as  may  be  assigned  them  by  the  districts  to  which  they  are 
attached,  and  shall  be  subject  to  the  jurisdiction,  laws,  rules  and  usages 
of  the  national  and  district  unions. 

Sec.  2.  Subdistricts  may  adopt  such  laws  for  their  government  as 


214  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

they  may  deem  necessary,  provided  they  do  not  conflict  with  national 
and  district  constitutions  or  agreements  entered  into. 

Sec.  3.  All  local  unions  within  the  territory  of  subdistricts  already 
organized  in  any  district  shall  contribute  and  become  a  part  of  the 
same  and  comply  with  its  laws,  before  they  are  entitled  to  passwoid  01 
representation  in  either  national  or  district  organizations. 

Article  XIV. — Locals. 

Section  1.  Local  unions  shall  be  composed  of  miners,  mine  laboi- 
ers  and  other  workmen,  skilled  and  unskilled,  working  in  and  about 
the  mines,  except  mine  manager  and  top  boss,  and  shall  be  given  such 
number  as  the  national  secretary-treasurer  may  assign  them. 

Sec.  2.  All  locals  shall  be  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  national, 
district  and  subdistrict  unions,  and  may  make  such  laws  for  their 
government  as  they  may  deem  necessary,  provided  they  do  not  conflict 
with  the  national,  district  and  subdistrict  constitutions  or  agreements 
entered  into.  Any  member  or  members  violating  this  section  shall  be 

subject  to  a  fine  of  not  less  than  $5.  #  . 

Sec.  3.  All  local  treasurers  and  such  secretaries  as  handle  the 
finances  of  the  organization  shall  furnish  sufficient  security  for  the 
faithful  performance  of  their  duties,  the  amount  of  said  bond  to  be 

determined  by  the  local  union.  , 

Sec.  4.  All  local  officers  and  committees  shall  be  elected  the  last 
meeting  in  June  and  December  of  each  year,  and  shall  serve  six 
months,  or  until  their  successors  are  elected  and  qualified. 

Sec.  5.  All  check  weighmen  employed  by  the  members  of  the 
United  Mine  Workers  shall  be  members  of  the  United  Mine  Workers 
three  months  and  voted  for  and  elected  by  those  who  pay  to  maintain 
them,  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  such  check  weighmen  to  keep  a  rec¬ 
ord  of  all  men  employed  in  and  around  the  mines. 

Article  XV. 

Section  1.  The  United  Mine  Workers’  Journal,  official  organ  of  the 
organization,  shall  be  issued  on  Thursday  of  each  week  fiom  head¬ 
quarters.  It  shall  be  a  medium  for  circulating  the  news  of  interest  to 
the  craft;  shall  publish,  from  time  to  time  the  important  transactions 
of  the  organization,  general  mining  and  trade  news,  together  with 
copies  of  official  circulars  and  financial  reports,  and  other  matters  of 
general  interest.  It  shall  be  neutral  in  politics,  nonsectarian  in  reli¬ 
gion,  dignified  in  tone,  and  a  consistent  advocate  of  the  piinciples  of 
modern  trades  organization. 

Sec.  2.  The  editor  shall  have  full  charge  of  all  correspondence, 
reports  or  other  matters  of  a  literary  character,  and  shall  oversee  the 
mechanical  work  and  superintend  the  make-up  of  the  paper. 

Sec.  3  The  business  management  of  the  Journal  shall  be  under  the 
supervision  of  the  national  secretary,  who  shall  have  full  charge  of 
the  circulation  and  advertising,  and  who  is  hereby  empowered  to 
employ  such  agents,  solicitors  or  circulators  as  in  his  judgment  aie 
necessary  to  promote  the  best  interests  of  the  paper,  said  selections  to 
be  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  executive  board. 

Sec.  4.  All  local  unions  shall  subscribe  for  one  copy  of  the  Journal, 
paying  for  it  in  advance,  and  secretaries  are  hereby  instructed  to 
examine  every  issue  and  read  all  official  circulars  to  the  members  that 
are  published  therein. 


APPENDIX  G. 


REPLIES  OF  PRESIDENTS  OF  COAL  COMPA¬ 
NIES  TO  LETTER  OF  JOHN  MITCHELL 
OF  FEBRUARY  14,  1902,  REQUEST¬ 
ING  A  JOINT  CONFERENCE. 


215 


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APPENDIX  G. 


REPLIES  OF  PRESIDENTS  OF  COAL  COMPANIES  TO  LETTER  OF 
JOHN  MITCHELL  OF  FEBRUARY  14,  1902,  REQUESTING  A  JOINT 
CONFERENCE. 

MR.  BAER’S  LETTER. 

Philadelphia,  February  18 ,  190%. 

Gentlemen:  I  beg  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  favor  of 
February  14,  from  Indianapolis,  inviting  this  company  to  be  repre¬ 
sented  at  a  joint  conference  of  operators  and  miners  on  March  12,  the 
object  of  the  conference  to  be  the  formation  of  a  wage  scale  for  the 
year  beginning  April  1,  1902,  and  ending  March  31,  1903,  and  in 
which  you  express  the  hope  “that  the  methods  employed  by  the 
miners’  organization  in  adjusting  the  wage  scale  in  all  districts  where 
it  is  recognized  and  contracted  with  will  commend  themselves  to  us.” 

In  the  judgment  of  the  companies  I  represent  it  is  impracticable  to 
form  a  wage  scale  for  the  whole  anthracite  region.  The  mining  of 
anthracite  coal  is  entirely  different  from  that  of  bituminous  coal.  How 
far  success  has  attended  your  organization  in  creating  a  uniform  scale 
of  wages  in  the  bituminous  regions  satisfactory  to  all  the  interests 
concerned  is  a  question  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  discuss,  but  the 
dissimilarity  between  anthracite  and  bituminous  mining  is  so  great 
that  it  does  not  follow  that  any  success  attending  the  creation  of  a 
uniform  wage  scale  in  the  bituminous  region  could  be  repeated  in  the 
anthracite  fields.  Each  colliery  in  the  anthracite  regions,  by  reason 
of  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  veins,  their  pitch,  water  conditions, 
depth,  and  quality  of  coal,  and  its  accompanying  impurities  (which 
vary  in  each  colliery,  sometimes  amounting  to  2  tons  of  refuse  to 
1  ton  of  merchantable  coal),  is  a  problem  by  itself,  and  it  is  not  possi¬ 
ble  to  create  a  scale  of  wages  covering  the  whole  anthracite  field  which 
will  be  just  to  the  operators  and  to  the  mine  workers. 

The  distinction  between  the  bituminous  and  anthracite  mines  is 
recognized  in  the  Pennsylvania  laws  regulating  mining,  which  have 
been  enacted  primarily  at  the  solicitation  of  the  mine  workers.  Spe¬ 
cial  laws  are  created  for  each.  In  the  anthracite  field  a  bituminous 
coal  miner  can  not  be  employed,  no  matter  what  his  skill.  The  act  of 
1889  in  express  terms  requires  an  examination  of  all  persons  who 
desire  to  be  employed  as  miners  in  their  respective  districts  in  the 
anthracite  regions,  and  only  when  such  person  has  received  a  certifi¬ 
cate  from  the  examining  board  can  he  be  employed  as  a  miner.  The 
law  made  an  exception  in  favor  of  the  persons  employed  in  an  anthra¬ 
cite  mine  at  the  time  of  the  passage  of  the  act,  and  so  drastic  is  this 
legislation  that  every  person  applying  for  a  certificate  entitling  him 
to  be  employed  as  a  miner  is  required  to  produce  evidence  of  having 
had  “not  less  than  two  years’  practical  experience  as  a  mine  laborer” — 
that  is,  a  mine  laborer  in  the  anthracite  fields. 

This  company  does  not  favor  the  plan  of  having  its  relations  with 

217 


218  REPORT  OE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


the  miners  disturbed  every  year.  The  proposition  to  unsettle  all  the 
labor  conditions  of  the  various  anthracite  districts  each  year  by  hold¬ 
ing  a  conference  between  persons  who  are  not  interested  in  anthracite 
mining'  and  can  not  have  the  technical  knowledge  of  the  varying  con¬ 
ditions  at  each  colliery,  is  so  unbusinesslike  that  no  one  cnarged  with 
the  grave  responsibility  of  conducting  industrial  enterprises  can  safely 
give  countenance  to  it. 

We  will  always  receive  and  consider  every  application  of  the  men 
in  our  employ.  We  will  endeavor  to  correct  every  abuse,  to  right 
every  wrong,  to  deal  justly  and  fairly  with  them,  and  to  give  to  every 
man  a  fair  compensation  for  the  work  he  performs.  Beyond  this  we 

can  not  go.  . 

The  experience  in  the  past  year  has  not  been  satisf actor}",  lhere 
can  not  be  two  masters  in  the  management  of  business.  The  objection 
to  your  proposition  is  not  alone  the  impracticability  of  forming  a  uni¬ 
form  scale  of  wages,  but  it  is  to  the  divided  allegiance  it  creates.  Disci¬ 
pline  is  essential  in  the  conduct  of  all  business.  It  is  of  vital  importance 
in  mining  operations,  where  the  disobedience  of  one  man  may  endangei 
the  lives  of  hundreds  of  his  fellow- workmen.  You  can  not  have  disci¬ 
pline  when  the  employee  disregards  and  disobeys  the  reasonable  orders 
and  directions  in  the  conduct  of  business  of  his  superior  officer,  relying 
upon  some  outside  power  to  sustain  him.  Two  or  three  unreasonable 
men  can,  because  of  this  divided  allegiance, .  stop  the  operations  of  a 
colliery  in  the  belief  that  their  organization  will  support  them,  whether 
right  or  wrong. 

Your  organizations  have  no  power  to  enforce  their  decrees,  and 
thereby  insure  discipline,  and  we  have  no  power  to  maintain  discipline 
except  the  power  to  discharge.  The  moment  we  exercise  this  power 
we  would  be  subjected  to  an  inquisitorial  and  ineffective  supervision, 
without  any  certainty  as  to  how  or  when  it  will  be  possible  to  reach  a 
righteous  decision  or  to  enforce  that  decision  when  reached. 

A  careful  analysis  of  the  results  of  last  year’s  operations  shows  that 
the  efficiency  of  our  own  mines  has  decreased  1,000,000  tons,  because 
the  contract  miners  have  worked  only  four  and  one-half  to  six  hours  a 
day.  The  number  of  tons  produced  by  each  miner  has  decreased  from 
11  to*  17  per  cent.  The  average  shows  a  decrease  of  about  12 i  per 
cent.  This  has  added  an  increased  burden  on  the  company  and  a  loss 
of  wages  to  the  workers. 

With  no  disposition  to  interfere  with  labor  organizations  in  all  honest 
efforts  to  better  the  welfare  and  condition  of  the  working  classes,  we 
respectfully  decline  to  join  in  any  conference  for  the  formation  of  a 

wage  scale  for  the  next  year. 

Yours,  truly,  Geo.  F.  Baer, 

President. 


MR.  TRUESD ALE’S  LETTER. 

New  York,  February  18,  190%. 

Dear  Sirs:  This  will  acknowledge  receipt  of  your  communication 
of  the  14th  instant,  asking  this  company  to  be  represented  at  a  joint 
conference  of  operators  and  miners  to  be  held  on  March  12,  at 

Scranton,  Fa.  .  .  . 

In  reply,  beg  to  state  that  it  is  not  the  present  intention  ct  this 

company  to  be  represented  at  such  conference,  if  held. 


APPENDIX  G. - REPLIES  OF  PRESIDENTS  OF  COAL  COMPANIES.  219 


The  policy  and  practice  of  this  company  is,  and  always  has  been,  to 
deal  directly  with  all  classes  of  its  employees  through  committees  or 
other  representatives  of  them  duly  accredited  as  such  and  also  in  the 
employ  of  the  company,  on  all  questions  concerning  wages,  hours  of 
service,  and  other  conditions  pertaining  to  their  employment. 

No  good  or  convincing  reason  has  ever  been  given,  nor  does  the 
management  of  this  company  conceive  of  any  that  can  be,  why  the 
employees  in  or  about  its  mines  should  ask  to  have  their  wage  matters 
singled  out  and  handled  in  the  radically  different  way  suggested  from 
that  fixed  by  the  company  in  dealing  with  all  other  classes  of  its 
employees. 

The  situation  and  conditions  vary  so  widely  as  respects  the  mining 
of  anthracite  coal  in  the  different  fields,  the  several  districts  of  each 
field,  in  the  different  mines  in  each  district,  and  in  the  numerous  veins 
of  coal  in  each  mine  that  it  has  been  found  necessary  during  the  years 
of  experience  in  mining  anthracite  coal  to  establish  a  great  variety  of 
rates  of  wages  and  allowances  of  different  kinds  in  order  to  adjust 
the  wages  equitably  as  between  men  working  under  these  varying 
conditions. 

It  must  be  manifest,  therefore,  to  anyone  familiar  with  these  con¬ 
ditions  and  the  practice  that  has  grown  up  under  them  that  it  is 
entirely  impracticable  to  adjust  these  wage  questions  in  the  anthracite 
regions  in  any  general  convention  or  mass  meeting  composed  of  all  the 
mine  owners  in  the  anthracite  fields  and  representatives  of  all  their 
employees  or  in  any  other  manner  than  as  heretofore,  i.  e.,  direct 
between  employer  and  employee. 

As  far  as  we  are  at  present  advised  by  any  of  our  men  working  in 
or  about  our  mines,  they  are  well  satisfied  with  their  present  rates  of 
wages,  their  hours  of  work,  and  the  general  conditions  under  which 
they  perform  their  work  for  us.  They  are  prosperous,  contented,  and 
we  believe  recognize  that  they  have  been  fairly  and  equitably  dealt 
with  on  all  questions  that  have  been  brought  to  the  attention  of  the 
management  by  representatives  acting  in  their  behalf. 

This  company  must  therefore  decline  to  depart  from  its  settled 
policy  in  dealing  with  its  employees,  and  put  itself  in  a  position  with 
respect  to  its  mine  employees  where  it  may  at  any  time  involve  itself 
in  the  troubles  or  misunderstandings  of  other  anthracite  mine  owners 
who  may  not  deal  with  their  employees  in  the  same  broad,  liberal  spirit 
as  has  always  characterized  the  transactions  of  this  company  with  its 
employees  in  every  department. 

Respectfully,  W.  H.  Truesdale, 

Presiden  t. 

MR.  THOMAS’S  LETTER. 

New  York,  February  20,  1902. 

Dear  Sirs:  Acknowledging  the  receipt  of  your  favor  of  the  13th, 
requesting  our  presence  at  a  conference  of  operators  and  members  of 
your  association  at  Scranton  on  March  12,  and  referring  further  to 
statements  in  your  letter,  two  of  which  should  be  promptly  corrected, 
viz: 

You  state  that  “As  the  time  is  approaching  when  the  verbal  contract 
entered  into  between  you,  representing  the  coal  operators,  and  the 
committee  representing  the  anthracite  mine  workers  will  expire,  and 


220  REPORT  OE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


believing  it  to  be  of  mutual  advantage  to  all  parties  at  interest  to  pre¬ 
serve  harmonious  business  relations  and  industrial  tranquillity  by,  if 
possible,  more  fully  determining  the  wages  which  should  be  paid  and 
the  conditions  of  employment  which  should  obtain  in  the  anthracite 
field,  we  have  been  delegated  by  the  representatives  of  the  anthracite 
mine  workers  to  write  }rou  and  the  presidents  of  other  coal-carrying 
railroads  with  the  purpose  in  view  of  ascertaining  if  you  would  join 
us  in  arranging  a  conference  of  the  representatives  of  the  anthracite 
coal  interests  and  representatives  of  the  mine  workers,  to  discuss  and 
agree  upon  a  scale  of  wages  for  the  year  beginning  April  1,  1902,  and 
ending  March  31,  1903.” 

If  you  will  recall  what  passed  at  the  interview  between  you  and  me 
last  }rear,  you  can  not  fail  to  recollect  that  no  contract  was  entered 
into,  as  well  as  my  distinct,  positive,  and  unequivocal  statement  to  the 
effect  that  I  represented  no  interests  whatever  other  than  those  con¬ 
trolled  by  the  Erie  Company;  and  that  I  did  not  represent  nor  assume 
to  act  for  other  than  the  coal  companies  controlled  by  the  Erie.  That 
other  companies  did  finally  take  similar  action  to  the  Erie,  and  con¬ 
tinue  the  rate  of  wages  then  in  effect,  is  quite  true,  but  that  1  entered 
into  any  arrangement  with  you  to  that  effect  is  incorrect. 

Tou  further  state  that  “  You  will,  no  doubt,  recall  that  during  our 
last  conference  the  hope  was  held  out  by  you  that,  if  conditions  in  the 
anthracite  field  permitted,  there  was  a  probability  of  the  representa¬ 
tives  of  the  mine  owners  considering  favorably  our  proposition  for  a 
general  joint  conference.” 

Recalling  what  passed  at  that  interview  and  your  claim  at  that  time 
to  the  recognition  for  which  you  are  now  asking,  I  distinctly  stated 
that  confidence  was  a  plant  of  very  slow  growth,  and  it  was  not  to  be 
expected  that  an  association  such  as  you  represented  could  assume  to 
at  once  enjoy  that  confidence  and  respect  upon  which  all  business 
understandings  must  necessarily  be  based;  that  if  longer  and  more 
intimate  knowledge  of  the  workings  of  your  association  should  show 
that  it  was  entitled  to  such  confidence,  that  would  be  a  matter  for 
future  consideration. 

With  this  in  mind,  we  have,  during  the  past  year,  carefully  observed 
the  workings  in  the  anthracite  field  of  your  association,  which  claims 
to  control  and  number  in  its  membership  a  large  majority  of  the 
anthracite  miners. 

I  regret  to  say  that  the  result  of  these  observations  and  the  experi¬ 
ences  of  the  companies  which  I  represent  has  not  led  to  the  conclusion 
that  a  conference  and  the  inauguration  of  the  methods  you  now  propose 
would  be  at  all  beneficial  to  either  our  companies  or  the  employees. 
So  far,  the  apparent  effect  of  your  association  has  been  that  at  no  time 
during  the  last  twent}^  years  has  a  greater  spirit  of  unrest  and  agita¬ 
tion  prevailed  among  the  anthracite  miners  than  has  existed  during  the 
past  year.  Notwithstanding  the  advance  in  wages,  the  fair  treatment 
that  has  been  accorded,  the  patient  and  friendly  disposition  manifested 
toward  the  various  committees,  the  depreciation  in  the  quantity  of 
work  produced  per  man  has  amounted  to  about  12  per  cent,  and  from 
April  to  October  1  there  have  been  no  less  than  102  interruptions  of 
work  occasioned  by  unwarranted  demands  and  agitation  by  members 
of  your  association,  resulting  in  a  loss  of  over  900  days’  work  and  over 
600,000  tons  of  production;  most  of  them  were  brought  about  by 
unwarranted  causes,  and  there  has  been  an  apparent  disposition  on  the 
part  of  the  younger  element  to  keep  the  whole  territory  in  a  condition 


APPENDIX  G. - REPLIES  OE  PRESIDENTS  OF  COAL  COMPANIES.  221 


of  unrest,  a  condition  that  is  certainly  not  for  the  best  interests  of 
either  the  corporations  or  the  employees.  In  some  cases  mines  have 
been  closed  for  long  periods,  and  some  of  them  are  still  closed,  because 
the  members  of  your  association  decline  to  allow  men  not  belonging 
to  that  organization  to  work  in  the  same  mine.  lS[ot  only  that,  but  in 
many  of  the  mines  the  drivers  have,  at  different  times,  declined  to 
deliver  cars  to  nonmembers  of  your  association. 

It  is  the  inalienable  right  of  a  man  to  labor,  and  this  without  regard 
to  nationality,  creed,  or  association.  To  seek  to  prevent  it  is  a  crime, 
and  we  can  not,  even  by  implication,  sanction  such  a  course. 

The  business  of  mining  anthracite  coal  is  entirely  different  and  dis¬ 
tinct  from  that  of  bituminous,  and  no  common  practice  can  succeed. 
As  a  result  of  the  experience  of  years,  different  methods  and  different 
prices  have  obtained,  not  only  in  the  different  regions,  but  in  the  dif¬ 
ferent  mines  as  well,  and  to  undertake  to  change  those  or  to  attempt  to 
bring  abput  a  condition  approaching  uniformity  is  impossible.  Any 
agreement  would  necessarily  have  to  be  of  the  broadest  and  most  indefi¬ 
nite  character  on  account  of  the  varying  conditions.  The  interpretation 
of  such  a  general  agreement  would  result  in  endless  strife,  ill  feeling, 
and  petty  strikes.  W ere  the  association  in  the  anthracite  region  com¬ 
posed  entirely  of  English-speaking  adults,  dealing  with  them  would  be 
an  entirely  different  question  from  what  is  to-day  presented,  when  over 
twenty  different  nationalities,  speaking  some  fourteen  or  fifteen  differ¬ 
ent  languages  and  dialects,  are  involved,  and  when  approximately  20 
per  cent  of  the  labor  employed  is  composed  of  boys  and  youths  under 
21.  We  believe  it  impossible  for  any  association  to  so  control  or  to 
enter  into  any  agreement  for  them  as  a  whole  that  will  have  beneficial 
results. 

It  is  no  concern  of  this  company  whether  the  men  belong  to  an  asso¬ 
ciation  or  not.  It  is  their  inalienable  right  to  take  either  course  that 
they  may  deem  for  their  best  interests;  nor  ought  we  to  be  asked,  in 
view  of  the  grave  responsibilities  resting  upon  us,  to  consent  to  join 
with  persons  not  in  our  employ  in  making  general  laws  applying  not 
only  to  our  districts  but  to  others  and  affecting  as  well  large  numbers 
of  persons  not  belonging  to  your  association. 

You  now  ask  this  company  to  join  the  representatives  of  other 
anthracite  coal  interests  and  a  representative  of  the  mine  workers  to 
formulate  a  scale  of  wages  and  conditions  of  employment  which  shall 
govern  the  coming  year. 

In  our  judgment  this  is  impracticable,  and  the  best  interests  of  the 
companies  represented,  no  less  than  those  of  the  miners  themselves, 
render  impracticable  any  such  efforts.  This  company  prefers  to  deal 
with  its  own  employees.  It  is  prepared  to  pay  them  the  highest  wages 
in  force  for  similar  work;  to  accord  them  fair,  considerate,  and  liberal 
treatment;  to  listen  patiently  and  to  endeavor  to  the  utmost  extent  to 
remedy  an}^  injustice  of  which  they  may  complain,  and  in  every  man¬ 
ner  within  our  power  to  make  pleasant,  profitable,  and  permanent  the 
relations  between  us.  Such  is  the  course  that  for  over  fifty  3^ears  it 
has  pursued  in  dealing  with  its  employees,  and  the  experiences  of  the 
past  have  demonstrated  the  correctness  of  this  position.  There  would 
seem  to  be  no  good  reason  for  now  departing  from  this  course  and 
proceeding  on  new  and  untried  lines,  especially  in  view  of  the  experi¬ 
ences  of  the  past  year,  which,  to  our  mind,  demonstrated  the  imprac¬ 
ticability  of  what  you  propose. 

Yours,  truly, 


E.  B.  Thomas. 


222  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


MR.  FOWLER’S  LETTER. 

New  York,  February  20,  1902. 

Dear  Sirs:  I  have  received  your  communication  of  the  14th  instant, 
addressed  to  me  as  president  of  the  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western 
Railway  Company.  That  company  operates  no  coal  mines,  but  I 
assume  that  you  have  invited  me  to  attend  the  conference  you  propose 
calling  at  Scranton  because  I  am  president  of  the  Scranton  Coal  Com¬ 
pany  and  of  the  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  both  engaged  in 
mining  anthracite  coal  and  whose  product  is  shipped  over  the  lines  of 
the  railway  company  named. 

In  reply  I  desire" to  state  that  the  collieries  operated  by  the  com¬ 
panies  named  differ  so  widely  in  their  character  and  the  conditions  of 
work  vary  so  greatly  that  even  a  conference  of  the  men  employed  in 
all  our  collieries,  for  the  purpose  of  settling  the  conditions  of  work 
and  wages  of  the  employees  in  each  individual  colliery^ would  be 
impracticable. 

At  present  there  are  no  differences  between  our  companies  and  the 
employees;  but  should  any  arise,  the  only  practical  method  of  settle¬ 
ment  is  by  discussion  by  the  men  themselves  with  the  immediate  super¬ 
intendent;  that  failing,  the  executive  officers  of  the  companies  stand 
ready  at  any  time  to  take  up  any  matter  in  dispute  and,  to  the  best  of 
their  ability,  adjust  it  fairly. 

This  being  my  view,  you  will  see  that  it  would  be  futile  to  discuss 
any  such  questions  as  you  indicate  may  be  brought  up  by  you  at  your 
convention  with  those  whom  we  do  not  recognize  as  representative  of 
our  men,  nor  even  conversant  with  the  subject  you  propose  to  discuss. 

Believe  me,  very  truly,  yours, 

T.  P.  Fowler. 


MR.  WALTER’S  LETTER. 

New  York,  February  20,  1902. 

Gentlemen:  I  beg  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  your  letter  of  14th 
instant,  inviting  this  company  to  attend  a  meeting  to  be  held  in  Scran¬ 
ton  with  representatives  of  your  organization  for  the  purpose  of  dis¬ 
cussing  a  wage  schedule  for  the  year  beginning  April  1,  1902,  and 
ending  March  31,  1903. 

The  proposition  you  submit  is  not  one  we  can  entertain,  as  the  mat¬ 
ters  which  it  is  proposed  to  discuss,  it  seems  to  us,  are  those  which  we 
should  arrange  by  dealing  directly  with  our  own  employees,  and  do 
not  call  for  the  intervention  of  the  organization  which  -you  represent. 

Yours,  truly, 

Alfred  Walter,  President. 


MR.  OLYPHANT’S  LETTER. 


New  York,  February  19,  1902. 

Gentlemen:  On  February  IT,  1901,  in  reply  to  a  telegram  from  you 
asking  if  the  company  which  I  represent  would  join  in  a  conference 
with  others  for  the  purpose  of  arranging  scale  of  wages  for  the  anthra¬ 
cite  coal  region.  I  said  that  I  understood  the  matter  of  wages  had  been 
satisfactorily  adjusted  in  the  previous  October,  and  could  therefore 
see  no  reason  for  such  a  conference.  On  February  20,  however,  you 


APPENDIX  G. - REPLIES  OF  PRESIDENTS  OF  COAL  COMPANIES.  223 


invited  me  to  such  a  conference.  On  March  6  I  addressed  you  a  letter 
in  reply,  setting  forth  at  length  the  reasons  why  I  was  compelled  to 
decline  your  invitation;  and  now  that  you  and  others  have  invited  me 
to  a  similar  conference,  I  beg  to  refer  you  to  that  letter,  simply  adding 
that  time  has  confirmed  my  faith  in  the  action  then  taken,  or,  rather, 
strengthened  it,  as  in  your  last  communication  you  plainly  intimate 
that  you  expect  the  wage  schedule  to  be  reviewed  yearly — a  condition 
which  is  at  once  unbusinesslike  and  utterly  opposed  to  the  proper  con¬ 
duct  of  the  anthracite  mining  industry.  I  must,  therefore,  once  more 
decline  your  invitation. 

Yours,  very  truly,  11.  M.  Olyphant,  President. 

MR.  STEARNS’S  LETTER. 

Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  February  19 ,  1902. 

Gentlemen:  I  am  in  receipt  of  your  favor  of  the  14th  instant,  ask¬ 
ing  that  our  company  be  represented  at  a  proposed  conference  to  be 
held  in  Scranton  on  March  12  to  formulate  a  wage  scale  for  the  year 
beginning  April  1,  1902,  and  ending  March  31,  1903. 

I  am  not  aware  that  there  is  any  question  of  wages  between  our 
employees  and  the  companies  I  represent. 

You  have  said,  if  correctly  reported,  that  if  the  employers  would 
meet  their  employees  and  discuss  with  them  the  various  questions  that 
arise  strikes  would  be  avoided  and  both  parties  would  be  mutually 
benefited.  I  beg  to  say  that  we  have  in  the  past,  and  will  in  the 
future,  meet  our  employees  to  discuss  and,  if  possible,  adjust  any 
questions  that  may  arise.  Knowing  that  our  employees  are  thoroughly 
familiar  with  the  existing  conditions  and  much  better  qualified  to  dis¬ 
cuss  intelligently  questions  of  wages  than  strangers  would  be,  I  must, 
in  justice  to  our  employees,  as  well  as  to  the  company  I  represent, 
decline  to  take  any  part  in  the  proposed  conference. 

Yours,  truly, 


Irving  A.  Stearns, 

President  Coxe  Pros.  <&  Co. ,  Inc. 


APPENDIX  H. 


PROPOSED  PLAN  FOR  AN  ORGANIZATION  FOR 
THE  EXECUTION  OF  TRADE  AGREEMENTS. 


S.  Doc.  6- 


15 


225 


APPENDIX  H. 


PROPOSED  PLAN  FOR  AN  ORGANIZATION  FOR  THE  EXECUTION 

OF  TRADE  AGREEMENTS. 

In  considering  the  subject,  cognizance  must  be  taken  of  the  fact  that 
the  union  now  exists,  and  that  two  bitter  struggles,  accompanied  by 
suffering,  loss,  and  inconvenience  to  thousands,  have  been  experienced 
through  its  efforts  to  secure  recognition.  The  ultimate  results  of  the 
work  of  this  Commission  will  fall  short  of  the  hopes  of  its  members 
if  the  good  effects  of  its  existence  and  labors  end  with  the  date  upon 
which  the  binding  effect  of  the  award  expires. 

The  Commission  hopes  that  during  the  life  of  the  award  those  on 
both  sides  of  the  recent  controversy  will  do  all  in  their  power  to 
encourage  and  establish  relations  of  business  confidence  between  each 
other,  under  which  the  employees  will  feel  that  the  employer  has  a 
real  interest  in  the  employee,  and  the  employer  will  feel  that  the 
employees  have  an  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  company  and  the 
industry. 

With  the  establishment  of  such  relations  and  the  building  of  such 
foundation,  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  erect  the  superstructure  on  the 
following  general  plan  which  is  recommended  by  the  Commission: 

First.  An  organization  of  anthracite  mine  workers,  governed  by 
the  anthracite  mine  workers  and  free  from  control  or  dictation  of 
bituminous  mine  workers. 

This  can  be  effected  by  making  the  anthracite  mine  workers  a  sepa¬ 
rate  department  of  the  union  or  by  such  other  modification  of  rules 
and  laws  as  will  best  effect  the  purpose. 

Second.  All  workers  in  and  about  the  anthracite  mines,  excepting 
foremen,  assistant  foremen,  and  other  bosses,  clerks,  and  office  employ¬ 
ees,  to  be  eligible  to  membership  in  the  organization  and  entitled  to 
its  privileges  and  benefits;  provided,  that  boys  under  21  years  of  age 
should  not  have  voice  or  vote  on  propositions  pertaining  to  strikes. 

Third.  A  local  body  of  the  organization  for  each  colliery,  composed 
of  the  employees  of  that  colliery  and  officered  by  officers  chosen  by 
them  from  their  own  ranks. 

Fourth.  A  local  committee  in  each  local,  composed  of  its  own  mem¬ 
bers,  employees  of  the  colliery,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  seek  adjust¬ 
ment,  at  the  hands  of  the  local  officials,  of  any  local  complaints  which 
the  local  may  refer  to  the  committee  and  which  the  aggrieved  member 
is  unable  to  adjust  with  his  immediate  superior  officer. 

Fifth.  A  general  committee  for  each  company’s  employees  com¬ 
posed  of  one  representative  from  each  colliery,  if  there  be  three  or 
more  collieries.  If  less  than  three  collieries,  the  general  committee  to 
be  composed  of  two  or  three  members  from  each  colliery. 


227 


228  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

Complaints  which  local  committees  are  unable  to  adjust  to  be 
referred  to  the  general  committee,  which  should  have  authority  to 
dismiss  or  settle  the  complaint  and  have  their  decision  binding  upon 

the  organization  and  its  members.  < 

General  committees  to  seek  adjustments  of  complaints  at  the  hands 
of  the  general  officers  of  the  employing  company. 

If  the  general  officers  of  the  company  and  the  general  committee  are 
unable  to  reach  an  agreement,  the  general  committee  should  have  the 
right  to  call  into  the  conference,  to  assist  and  advise  them,  such  gen¬ 
eral  officer  of  the  organization  as  may  be  selected  and  to  whom  such 
duties  are  delegated,  regardless  of  whether  or  not  such  general  officer 
is  an  employee  of  the  company  interested. 

Sixth.  Agreements  between  the  organization  and  the  employers  ot 
its  members,  governing  terms  or  conditions  of  employment,  should 
provide  that  any  matter  in  dispute  which  the  general  officers  of  the 
company  and  the  general  committee  of  the  organization,  accompanied 
bv  their  general  officer,  are  unable  to  reach  an  adjustment  of  shall  be 
submitted  to  fair  arbitration,  the  award  to  be  accepted  by  both. 

Seventh.  No  strike  to  be  inaugurated  until  the  committees  and  offi¬ 
cers  of  the  organization  have  complied  with  all  their  rules  and  have 
exhausted  all  other  honorable  efforts  to  reach  an  agreement  and  have 
failed;  nor  then,  until  proposal  to  strike  has  been  submitted  to  all  the 
members  employed  in  that  colliery  or  by  that  company  who  aie  entitled 
to  vote  on  strike  questions,  and  two-thirds  of  them  have  voted  by  bal¬ 
lot  in  favor  of  the  proposal.  >  . 

Eighth.  With  the  inauguration  of  this  plan  all  mine  workers  in  the 
anthracite  field  who  are  eligible  to  membership  should  be  permitted 
to  become  members,  regardless  of  past  differences  or  prejudices. 
After  that,  admission  should  be  by  such  rules  as  may  be  adopted. 

Ninth.  The  organization  to  be  governed  by  a  constitution  framed 
and  enacted  by  a  delegate  convention  in  which  each  local  should  be 
entitled  to  one  delegate.  The  same  convention  should  adopt  proper 
by-laws  and  elect  the  general  officers  unless  the  rules  adopted  provide 
for  selecting  the  officers  in  some  other  manner. 

Tenth.  The  general  officers  to  be  charged  with  the  duty  of  admin¬ 
istering  the  laws,  rules  and  affairs  of  the  organization,  and  to  be 
given  power  to  discipline  locals  by  revoking  charters,  or  in  other 
proper  manner,  when  such  locals  fail  to  observe  the  laws  and  rules  of 
the  organization  or  fail  to  require  compliance  with  those  lavs  and 
rules  on  part  of  their  members. 

This  plan  contemplates  fair,  frank  and  honest  dealings,  as  well  as  per¬ 
fect  good  faith  in  all  things,  between  the  employer  and  the  employee. 
It  intends  that  the  rights  of  each  shall  be  fully  recognized  and  carefully 
considered  and  preserved.  It  provides  for  consideration  of  any  case 
in  which  an  employee  is  thought  to  have  been  unjustly  disciplined  bv 
the  employer,  and  for  appeal  of  such  cases  to  higher  officials  if  desired. 
It  does  not,  however,  contemplate  any  improper  or  undue  interference 
with  the  conduct  of  the  business  or  with  the  exercise  of  authority  and 
administration  of  discipline  by  the  officers  of  the  company. 

It  gives  full  recognition  of  the  right  of  the  employees  to  organize 
and  to  be  represented  by  and  heard  through  their  organization.  It 
requires  that  the  same  recognition  will  be  given  to  the  rights  of  the 
employer  by  the  employees.  It  renders  unnecessary  any  laws  or  rules 


APPENDIX  H.—  PLAN  FOR  TRADE  AGREEMENTS. 


229 


which  are  based  on  the  assumption  that  the  employer  is  antagonistic 
to  the  organization;  hence  none  such  should  exist  under  it. 

It  removes  all  necessity  for  secrecy  as  to  the  personnel  of  the  mem¬ 
bership.  It  is  founded  in  the  principle  of  mutual  interests  and  mutual 
elforts  to  serve  such  interests.  While  each  will  naturally  look  after 
his  own  interests,  within  proper  limits,  each  can  and  should  also  have 
and  exercise  an  interest  in  the  other’s  welfare  and  success. 

The  plan  recognizes  that  no  organization  can  consistently  assume  to 
bargain  for  the  employees  of  any  company  unless  such  organization 
fairly  and  actually  represents  a  clear  majority  of  such  employees  by 
having  them  as  bona  fide  members.  It  does  not  mean  that  if  there  be 
a  minority  of  employees,  who,  for  reasons  of  their  own,  refrain  from 
becoming  members,  such  minority  shall  be  prevented  from  working 
or  interfered  with  in  their  work.  If  they  are  willing  to  work  under 
the  conditions  fixed  for  the  colliery,  their  right  to  pursue  their  way 
unmolested  should  be  guaranteed. 

In  connection  with  the  establishment  of  this  method,  it  is  believed 
that  it  would  be  profitable  and  wise  for  the  organization  to  establish  a 
death  and  accident  fund  on  lines  similar  to  those  followed  by  trades 
unions  which  successfully  operate  such  funds.  If  the  benefits  are 
made  to  cover  sickness,  so  much  the  better. 

The  organization  could  also  find  a  useful  field  in  applying  its  efforts 
in  direction  of  healthy  legislation  on  subjects  affecting  the  work  of  its 
members  or  the  industry  in  which  they  are  employed.  While  caring 
for  their  own  interests  they  could  lend  a  helping  hand  to  the  employer 
in  this  connection  by  promoting  his  interests  when  not  detrimental  to 
their  own. 

Collective  bargaining  and  trade  agreements,  as  herein  suggested, 
should  bring  with  them  guaranties  of  exemption  from  the  complica¬ 
tions  and  troubles  which  present  themselves  in  the  absence  of  such 
bargaining,  especially  sympathetic  strikes;  these  should  be  guarded 
against  in  the  agreements.  The  success  of  such  plan  depends  upon  the 
spirit  which  is  entertained  by  the  parties  to  it.  The  integrity  of  the 
trade  agreement  should  be  rigidly  upheld  and  sustained.  Its  plain 
terms  should  be  inviolable  during  the  life  of  the  agreement.  Differ¬ 
ences  of  opinion  are  bound  to  arise,  but  with  a  proper  desire  actuating 
both  sides  and  an  agreement  to  refer  such  differences  to  arbitration  if 
necessary,  the  guaranties  of  peace  and  pleasant  relations  seem  adequate. 

EXTRACT  FROM  PAPER  BY  MR.  THOMAS  ARMSTRONG,  PRESI¬ 
DENT.  PHILADELPHIA  BUILDERS’  EXCHANGE,  READ  BEFORE 

THE  NATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  BUILDERS. 

******  -X' 

I  would  suggest  for  this  organization  (under  whatsoever  name  you 
please  to  call  it,  and  I  know  of  no  better  than  the  ‘  ‘  Builders’  Exchange  ”), 
that  its  membership  be  composed  of  every  man  in  the  building  line,  of 
good  business  repute  and  honorable  intent,  whom  we  can  get  to  join. 
Have  then  as  a  motto  of  the  organization  “that  no  builder  liveth 
unto  himself  alone”  and  anyone  not  willing  to  subscribe  thereto,  I 
would  consider  undesirable. 

The  exchange  which  1  have  the  honor  to  represent  here,  is  a  strong 
organization  in  many  ways,  yet  we  fail,  I  was  going  to  say,  almost  in 
living  up  to  this  principle. 


230  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

Word  would  come  to  us  that  certain  of  our  members  were  having 
labor  troubles,  and  it  would  cause  no  more  than  a  word  of  sympathy  in 
passing  comment,  whereas,  what  I  have  in  mind  is,  that  this  organiza¬ 
tion  shall  be  as  one  bod}^,  no  member  of  which  can  be  hurt  without 
affecting  the  whole.  As  to  working,  I  believe  that  time  would  sug¬ 
gest  a  definite  plan. 

Speaking  again  of  my  home  exchange,  I  would  say,  that  as  chairman 
of  the  labor  committee,  I  am  surprised  at  the  consideration  we  get, 
and  at  the  number  of  times  we  are  consulted  by  labor  unions  on  vari¬ 
ous  questions,  and  this  entirely  without  any  definite  purpose  or  active 
work  upon  our  part.  We  are  conceded  an  influence  which  we,  in  no 
way  deserve,  as  we  are  not  a  working  committee  in  the  sense  we  have 
in  mind. 

I  might  say,  that  we  locally  (and  the  question  at  issue  must  neces¬ 
sarily  be  one  so  handled),  are  endeavoring  now  to  work  out  our  salva¬ 
tion  on  this  line.  After  most  earnest  discussion  at  the  last  directors’ 
meeting  of  our  exchange,  a  committee  of  five,  was  appointed  (all  of 
whom  I  think  are  here)  to  formulate  some  plan  for  action  in  this 
direction.  We  have  held  two  meetings,  both  of  which  were  attended 
bv  a  full  committee,  were  of  several  hours’  duration  and  were  the 
most  earnest  meetings  that  I  have  ever  attended  in  the  building  trades. 
I  say  this  that  you  may  realize  that  we  have  seriously  started. 

We  are  making  haste,  slowly, — foundation  building — trying  to  reach 
bed  rock. 

We  have  adopted  a  name,  “Advisory  Board  of  the  Master  Builders’ 
Exchange  ”  as  we  already  have  a  labor  committee,  having  however,  a 
smaller  scope,  and  an  arbitration  committee,  whose  duties  are  almost 
solely  to  adjust  possible  differences  between  our  own  membership. 

We  have  decided  that  the  number  of  this  committee  shall  be  five 
appointed  by  the  president  with  the  distinct  understanding  that  its 
personnel  shall  include  only  our  strongest  men,  men  in  whom  the 
community  have  confidence  and  who  have  the  respect  of  their  fellow- 
craftsmen,  men  of  wisdom,  of  experience,  of  fairness,  of  courage. 

The  power  of  this  committee  from  employers’  standpoint  must  be 
absolute,  autocratic,  if  you  like,  else  it  can  have  no  existence.  This 
must  necessarily  be  so,  otherwise  it  would  be  powerless. 

We  aim  to  get  this,  first  by  having  the  plan  evolved,  get  the  back¬ 
ing  of  our  exchange  to  this  extent,  then  we  reach  out  to  the  several 
distinct  trade  organizations,  and  get  them  to  formally  accept  such  a 
condition.  We  to  reach  and  influence  them  through  some  of  our  own 
members  who  likewise  hold  membership  in  these  various  organizations. 

The  “modus  operandi”  will  probably  be  about  as  follows:  Confer¬ 
ence  committees  in  every  trade,  believing  after  all  that  both  builders 
and  mechanics  are  men,  and  if  brought  face  to  face  are  disposed  to  be 
fair  and  just,  and  that  90  per  cent  of  the  cases  of  difference  can  be  set¬ 
tled  out  of  court,  as  it  were.  Should  however,  it  be  impossible  to 
agree  and  danger  signals  be  hoisted,  before  any  action  is  taken  appeal 
is  to  be  made  to  the  higher  court,  before  whom  shall  appear,  both  par¬ 
ties.  We  know  that  labor  organizations  will  at  first  object  to  this,  as 
they  are  not  represented,  but  I  feel  sure  that  when  they  understand 
that  we  intend  to  be  absolutely  fair,  to  give  them  everything  they 
ought  to  have,  in  honor  and  justice,  they  will  realize  that  it  is  to  their 
interest  also,  that  they  appear.  The  committee  would  then,  after  listen¬ 
ing  carefully  to  all  evidence,  make  its  decision,  which  if  adverse  to 


APPENDIX  H. - PLAN  FOR  TRADE  AGREEMENTS. 


231 


the  employer,  would  necessarily  be  binding*  on  him  as  he  had  already 
accepted  the  condition,  and  if  adverse  to  the  union,  would  also  have 
to  be  respected.  Should  such  be  the  case  and  the  union  refused  to 
abide  by  such  a  theory  as  we  so  often  phrase  it,  action  would  then  be 
as  follows:  The  matter  would  be  weighed  carefully,  conservatively,  and 
action  if  thought  wise,  and  the  case  so  warranted,  be  taken  even  to  the 
extent  of  a  complete  stoppage  of  work  in  that  branch  or  in  all. 

Reading  casually  the  statement,  some  one  might  consider  such  com¬ 
mittee,  one  of  war,  but  such  is  not  the  spirit  or  intent.  It  is  to  be 
essential^  one  of  peace,  making  toward  that  end,  always. 

1  am  pleased  to  say  that  in  our  committee  deliberations,  not  one  word 
has  been  spoken  that  would  indicate  a  desire  for  offensive  action 
against  unionism,  but  all  in  the  spirit  of  harmony  and  expressive  of  a 
desire  that  we  might  adopt  a  plan  that  would  still  the  troubled  waters, 
making  for  a  permanent  peace,  rather  than  a  temporary  truce  between 
forces  that  ought  to  be  friends. 

ft  *  *  *  *  *  * 

The  present  attitude  of  capital  and  labor  is  now  often  termed  as 
that  of  industrial  war,  but  I  think  it  a  misnomer;  rather  it  is  two 
great  forces,  mobs  almost  as  it  were,  striving  toward  the  same  goal, 
yet  so  disorganized  and  unruly  are  they  that  they  are  almost  fighting 
each  other  to  the  death  to  attain  it.  Now,  1  claim  that  the  man  who 
can  step  in,  control  these  contending  forces,  establish  mutual  respect 
and  cordial  relationship  and  have  them  walk  in  step,  arm  in  arm,  along 
the  highway  of  peace  and  prosperity,  will  well  deserve  the  victor’s 
crown. 

*  ft  ft  ft  ft  ft  ft 

Some  men  interested  expressed  themselves  as  fearful  lest  possible 
failure  would  bring  discredit  upon  our  exchange.  No— a  thousand 
times  no.  Discredit  lies  not  in  line  of  possible  failure,  but  in  not 
having  striven. 

EXTRACT  FROM  AN  ADDRESS  ON  LABOR  ISSUES  IN  THE  BUILD¬ 
ING  TRADES  By  MR.  WILLIAM  H.  SAYWARD,  SECRETARY  OF 

THE  NATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  BUILDERS. 

If  emplo}rers  abandon  their  distrust  of  unions  and  enter  in  friendly 
business  relations  with  them,  unions  must  abandon  their  distrust  of 
nonunion  men  and  conceive  the  right  of  their  fellow-workmen  to  join 
or  refrain  from  joining  their  bodies.  If  a  labor  union  is  recognized 
as  a  fit  and  proper  representative  body  to  act  for  the  class — and  it 
must  be  fit  and  proper  and  representative,  or  it  can  not  be  dealt 
with — then  all  is  gained  which  it  may  properly  seek — and  by  the  aban¬ 
donment  of  its  attempt  to  coerce  people  into  joining,  it  opens  the  sur¬ 
est  road  for  accession  to  its  ranks,  for  those  who  may  come  of  their 
own  accord,  but  won't  be  driven.  Relieve  the  unions  of  unworthy 
methods,  (and  cooperation  by  employers  will  accomplish  this  more 
quickly  than  anything  else),  and  those  who  now  object  to  joining  will 
be  much  more  ready  to  do  so,  but  if  they  will  stay  outside  and  no 
notice  be  taken  of  them,  it  will  soon  be  demonstrated  that  they  are 
entirely  harmless,  because  they  have  no  effect.  When  employers  and 
employees  take  each  other  into  their  confidence  and  thoroughly  dis¬ 
cuss  matters  of  mutual  concern — antagonism  to  labor  unions,  to  employ- 


232  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

ers  of  labor  and  to  nonunion  men  will  soon  disappear — and  I  further 
believe,  and  my  belief  is  based  upon  actual  experience,  that  if  a  drop¬ 
ping-  off  of  nonunion  opposition  be  made  a  prerequisite  of  recogni¬ 
tion,  that  it  will  be  dropped  without  hesitation. 

Two  minor  difficulties  should  be  mentioned.  One  is  the  trouble 
connected  with  joint  committee  work,  which  every  employer  holds  up 
as  a  bugbear — and  the  other  the  claim  that  labor  organizations  should 
be  incorporated  so  that  they  may  be  held  financially  responsible  for 
their  acts,  even  as  the  capital  of  employers  is  the  basis  of  their 
responsibility.  As  to  this  last  feature  I  must  confess  that  I  see  very 
little  real  increase  of  responsibility,  such  responsibility  as  is  argued 
for,  financial  responsibility,  through  incorporation,  unless  the  cap¬ 
ital  of  such  corporations  should  be  very  great  (a  practical  impossibil¬ 
ity)  and  made  available  only  for  damages  under  broken  agreements — 
but  I  do  think  that  employers  and  workmen  alike  should  seek  to  put 
their  respective  organizations  on  some  legal  status  which  should  result 
in  making  them  subject  to  removal  of  rights  granted  under  State 
charters,  when  failing  to  adhere  to  agreements,  or  causing  stoppages 
of  work,  or  creating  interference  with  privileges  and  rights  of  others. 
As  to  the  objection  that  any  form  of  cooperation  entails  trouble,  I 
can  only  reply  that  this  is  a  most  unworthy  plea;  better  any  amount 
of  trouble  to  defend  ourselves  and  the  community  from  the  harass¬ 
ment  and  larger  trouble  which  is  inevitably  connected  with  strikes 
and  lockouts. 

It  may  be  said  that  in  labor  issues  either  for  the  building  trades  or 
other  lines  of  work,  that  these  intricate  and  involved  matters  will  not 
take  care  of  themselves;  the}r  can  not  safely  be  intrusted  to  one  of 
the  interested  parties  alone;  both  parties  must  have  equal  concern, 
must  act  jointly ,  not  only  in  their  own  interests  but  in  effect  in  the 
interest  of  the  community. 

This  being  done  and  agreements  formally  made  and  legally  entered 
into,  if  contracts  are  then  broken  it  will  be  penalty  not  arbitration 
and  the  community  will  be  the  chief  factor  in  imposing  the  penalty. 

I  wish  to  point  out  what  seems  to  be  a  peculiar  advantage  for  the 
building  trades  in  carrying  out  this  policy.  The  diversity  of  trades 
involved  in  each  and  every  building  operation,  each  trade  standing  by 
itself,  with  a  distinct  employer  and  a  distinct  set  of  workmen,  gives 
opportunity  for  almost  limitless  interference,  in  some  cases  a  small 
and  comparatively  insignificant  trade  blocking  progress  of  work  as 
effectually  as  a  larger  trade.  This  may  be  turned  to  advantage  by  so 
concentrating  the  action  of  employers  that  any  strike  in  any  single 
trade,  even  on  the  work  of  a  single  employer,  shall  result  in  a  lock¬ 
out  of  all  trades  by  all  employers. 

This  is  coercive  action,  and  it  should  be  the  study  of  employers  to 
avoid  it.  But  it  would  be  legitimate  under  certain  conditions  which  I 
will  endeavor  to  indicate  in  describing  specifically  how  I  think  these 
labor  issues  can  be  most  effectively  met  on  the  lines  of  the  policy  I 
have  been  discussing. 

I  should  begin  by  having  employers  in  the  various  building  trades, 
the  best,  the  most  responsible  in  each  branch  in  every  community, 
united  together  for  the  specific  purpose  of  dealing  with  labor  issues. 
I  should  have  this  central  body  acting  in  the  general  interest,  at  a 
seasonable  time,  in  each  year,  issue  a  call  to  all  organizations  of  work¬ 
men  in  these  various  trades,  requesting  that  they  formulate  their 
desires  as  to  wages,  hours  and  general  conditions  for  the  coming 


APPENDIX  H. 


PLAN  FOR  TRADE  AGREEMENTS. 


233 


year,  and  transmit  them  to  the  central  employers’  organization,  this 
latter  organization  committing  itself  to  laying  the  desires  of  the  work¬ 
men  thus  expressed  before  the  employers’  organizations  in  each 
respective  trade,  and  engaging  still  further  to  bring  about  agreements 
between  the  employers  and  workmen  through  joint  conferences.  All 
conferences  to  be  upon  a  uniform  plan  and  all  agreements  to  be  under 
the  observation  of  the  central  body  in  order  that  there  may  be  no 
conflict  in  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the  various  trades. 

These  agreements  being  effected  and  made  public  so  that  the  com¬ 
munity  may  understand  exactly  what  has  been  done  in  its  interest,  the 
central  body  will  then  be  in  a  position  to  demand  and  secure  observance 
by  both  parties  of  the  terms  of  the  agreement. 

For  instance,  should  any  branch  be  embarrassed  by  stoppage  of 
work  in  apparent  violation  of  the  agreement,  the  central  body  will 
immediately  take  it  up,  make  public  investigation  and  fix  the  blame 
and  penalty.  Should  the  blame  be  upon  the  employers’  organization, 
it  would  have  to  withdraw  from  the  position  taken,  or  lose  affiliation 
with  and  the  support  of  all  the  rest  of  the  central  body,  a  serious 
matter.  Should  the  blame  be  upon  a  workman’s  organization  it  would 
have  to  withdraw  from  the  position  taken,  or  the  central  body  would 
at  once  cause  all  work  to  be  stopped  in  all  trades,  an  equally  serious 
matter,  and  one  which  would  speedily  end  the  recalcitrancy  of  the 
guilty  organization. 

If  it  be  too  difficult  to  get  a  central  body  thus  effectively  organized, 
the  same  thing  can  be  accomplished  by  the  most  prominent  general 
contractors  banding  themselves  together  for  the  same  purpose  and  the 
same  policy  of  action.  In  some  respects  this  is  the  more  attractive 
form,  inasmuch  as  it  limits  those  who  must  be  in  harmony,  to  a  much 
smaller  number.  But  in  any  event,  this  line  of  action  gets  all  its 
strength  and  value  upon  the  setting  up  of  preliminary  agreements  to 
settle  all  matters  of  mutual  concern  by  and  through  joint  com¬ 
mittees,  these  joint  committees  to  formulate  working  rules  under  said 
agreement. 

With  these  agreements  existing,  it  will  be  hard  for  either  party  to 
evade  the  penalty  which  will  result  from  breaking  the  contract,  hard 
for  the  guilty  parties  to  avoid  the  just  condemnation  of  the  public. 

But,  in  my  opinion,  and  this  opinion  is  based  upon  many  years  of 
experience  the  discipline  spoken  of  will  rarely,  if  ever,  have  to  be 
applied  for  agreements  fairly  entered  into  and  made  public  are  seldom 
violated. 

I  have  one  word  more,  and  a  suggestive  one. 

I  received  a  letter  last  week  from  one  of  our  good  builders,  a  man 
of  large  experience  and  extensive  business  operations,  a  letter  in  reply 
to  an  urgent  request  from  me  that  he  be  present  and  discuss  this  most 
important  topic.  He  wrote:  “I  am  sorry,  I  should  like  to  be  with 
you  in  Washington,  but  I  am  too  much  occupied  with  actual  business 
to  spare  the  time.” 

My  friends  until  employers  realize  that  the  labor  problem  is  as  much 
u actual  business”  as  any  part  of  that  “ business”  which  seemingly 
demands  their  whole  attention,  they  will  fail  to  take  those  steps  which 
the  old  adage  comprehended  when  it  declared  that  “an  ounce  of  pre¬ 
vention  is  worth  a  pound  of  cure,”  and  they  will  go  on  as  they  have  in 
the  past,  blunderingly  refusing  to  protect  themselves  and  honest  work¬ 
men  against  the  dangers  that  threaten,  and  permitting  bad  men  and 
measures  to  obtain  control. 


234  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


JOINT  CONCILIATION  COMMITTEES  RECOMMENDED  BY  THE 
NATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  BUILDERS. 

FORM  OF  AGREEMENT  RECOMMENDED  BY  THE  NATIONAL  ASSOCIA¬ 
TION  OF  BUILDERS  TO  SECURE  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CONCILI¬ 
ATION  COMMITTEES,  WITH  PLAN  OF  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SAME, 
FOR  THE  USE  OF  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  EMPLOYERS  AND  ASSOCIATIONS 
OF  WORKMEN  IN  ALL  BRANCHES  OF  THE  BUILDING  TRADE. 

AGREEMENT. 

For  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  method  of  peacefully  settling  all  questions  of 
mutual  concern,  (name  of  organization  of  employers)  and  (name  of  organization  of 
employees)  severally  and  jointly  agree  that  no  such  question  shall  be  conclusively 
acted  upon  by  either  body  independently,  but  shall  be  referred  for  settlement  to  a 
joint  committee,  which  committee  shall  consist  of  an  equal  number  of  representa¬ 
tives  from  each  association;  and  also  agree  that  all  such  questions  shall  be  settled  by  our 
own  trade,  without  intervention  of  any  other  trade  whatsoever . 

The  parties  hereto  agree  to  abide  by  the  findings  of  this  committee  on  all  matters  of 
mutual  concern  referred  to  it  by  either  party.  It  is  understood  and  agreed  by  both 
parties  that  in  no  event  shall  strikes  and  lockouts  be  permitted,  but  all  differences 
shall  be  submitted  to  the  joint  committee,  and  work  shall  proceed  without  stoppage 
or  embarrassment. 

In  carrying  out  this  agreement  the  parties  hereto  agree  to  sustain  the  principle, 
that  absolute  personal  independence  of  the  individual  to  work  or  not  to  work,  to 
employ  or  not  to  employ,  is  fundamental  and  should  never  be  questioned  or  assailed, 
for  upon  that  independence  the  security  of  our  whole  social  fabric  and  business  pros¬ 
perity  rests,  and  employers  and  workmen  should  be  equally  interested  in  its  defense 
and  preservation. 

The  parties  hereto  also  agree  that  they  will  make  recognition  of  this  joint  agree¬ 
ment  a  part  of  the  organic  law  of  their  respective  associations  by  incorporating  with 
their  respective  constitutions  or  by-laws  the  following  clauses: 

A.  All  members  of  this  association  do  by  virtue  of  their  membership  recognize 
and  assent  to  the  establishment  of  a  joint  committee  of  arbitration  (under  a  regular 

form  of  agreement  and  governing  rules),  by  and  between  this  body  and  the - 

- for  the  peaceful  settlement  of  all  matters  of  mutual  concern  to  the  two  bodies 

and  the  members  thereof. 

B.  This  organization  shall  elect  at  its  annual  meeting  - - delegates  to  the  said 

joint  committee,  of  which  the  president  of  this  association  shall  be  one,  officially 

notifying  within  three  days  thereafter  the  said - of  the  said  action  and 

of  the  names  of  the  delegates  elected. 

C.  The  duty  of  the  delegates  thus  elected  shall  be  to  attend  all  meetings  of  the  said 

joint  committee,  and  they  must  be  governed  in  this  action  by  the  rules  jointly  adopted 
by  this  association  and  the  said - . 

D.  No  amendments  shall  be  made  to  these  special  clauses,  A,  B,  C,  and  D,  of  these 

by-laws,  except  by  concurrent  vote  of  this  association  with  the  said - , 

and  only  after  six  months’  notice  of  proposal  to  so  amend. 

The  joint  committee  above  referred  to  is  hereby  created  and  established,  and  the 
following  rules  adopted  for  its  guidance: 

ORGANIZATION  OF  JOINT  COMMITTEE  AND  RULES  FOR  ITS  GOVERNMENT. 

1.  This  committee  shall  consist  of  not  less  than  six  members,  equally  divided 
between  the  associations  represented.  The  members  of  the  committee  shall  be 
elected  annually  by  their  respective  associations  at  their  regular  meetings  for  the 


APPENDIX  H. - PLAN  FOE  TRADE  AGREEMENTS. 


235 


election  of  officers.  An  umpire  shall  be  chosen  by  the  committee  at  their  annual 
meeting,  as  the  first  item  of  business  after  organization.  This  umpire  must  be  neither  a 
workman  nor  an  employer  of  workmen.  He  shall  not  serve  unless  his  presence  is 
made  necessary  by  failure  of  the  committee  to-  agree.  In  such  cases  he  shall  act  as 
presiding  officer  at  all  meetings  and  have  the  casting  vote  as  provided  in  Rule  7. 

2.  The  duty  of  this  committee  shall  be  to  consider  such  matters  of  mutual  interest 
and  concern  to  the  employers  and  the  workmen  as  may  be  regularly  referred  to  it  by 
either  of  the  parties  to  this  agreement,  transmitting  its  conclusions  thereon  to  each 
association  for  its  government. 

3.  A  regular  annual  meeting  of  the  committee  shall  be  held  during  the  month  of 
January,  at  which  meeting  the  special  business  shall  be  the  establishment  of  “  Work¬ 
ing  Rules”  for  the  ensuing  year;  these  rules  to  guide  and  govern  employers  and 
workmen,  and  to  comprehend  such  particulars  as  rate  of  wages  per  hour,  number  of 
hours  to  be  worked,  payment  for  overtime,  payment  for  Sunday  work,  government 
of  apprentices,  and  similar  questions  of  joint  concern. 

4.  Special  meetings  shall  be  held  when  either  of  the  parties  hereto  desire  to  submit 
any  question  to  the  committee  for  settlement. 

5.  For  the  proper  conduct  of  business,  a  chairman  shall  be  chosen  at  each  meeting, 
but  he  shall  preside  only  for  the  meeting  at  which  he  is  so  chosen.  The  duty  of  the 
chairman  shall  be  that  usually  incumbent  on  a  presiding  officer. 

6.  A  clerk  shall  be  chosen  at  the  annual  meeting,  to  serve  during  the  year.  His 
duty  shall  be  to  call  all  regular  meetings,  and  to  call  special  meetings  when  officially 
requested  so  to  do  by  either  body  party  hereto.  He  shall  keep  true  and  accurate 
record  of  the  meetings,  transmit  all  findings  to  the  associations  interested,  and  attend 
to  the  usual  duties  of  the  office. 

7.  A  majority  vote  shall  decide  all  questions.  In  case  of  the  absence  of  any  mem¬ 
ber,  the  president  of  the  association  by  which  he  was  appointed  shall  have  the  right 
to  appoint  a  substitute  in  his  place. '  The  umpire  shall  have  casting  vote  in  case 
of  tie. 

The  above  form  of  agreement  should  first  be  adopted  in  due  form, 
by  vote  of  each  organization  proposing  to  set  it  up,  care  being  taken 
to  have  the  action  upon  a  legal  day,  and  its  officers  authorized  and 
empowered  to  sign  all  necessary  papers  to  put  the  agreement  in 
force.  The  instrument  of  agreement  should  then  be  drawn  up  in  full 
for  signatures,  and  should  be  duly  executed  and  acknowledged  in  such 
form  as  required  by  law  in  the  State  where  the  parties  have  their  usual 
place  of  business  or  headquarters. 

TRADE  AGREEMENTS  BETWEEN  AMERICAN  NEWSPAPER  PUB¬ 
LISHERS’  ASSOCIATION  AND  INTERNATIONAL  TYPOGRAPHICAL 

UNION. 


LETTER  FROM  M.  J.  LOWENSTEIN,  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

St.  Louis,  September  25,  1902. 

As  secretary  of  the  St.  Louis  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association  for 
the  past  ten  years,  and  as  secretary  of  the  special  standing  committee 
of  the  American  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association,  which  has  exclu¬ 
sive  jurisdiction  in  labor  matters,  I  have  had  ample  opportunity  to 
study  the  workings  of  arbitration  in  relation  to  employees,  and  while 
I  do  not  consider  voluntary  arbitration  a  cure-all  for  industrial  ills  of 
every  description,  I  am  convinced  that  it  is  the  most  practical  and 
available  means  v/e  have  of  averting  or  composing  differences  between 
employer  and  employee.  In  St.  Louis  nearly  every  department  of 


236  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


mechanical  labor  on  newspapers  is  organized,  and  the  organizations 
are  recognized  by  the  publishers,  and  contract  relations  have  been 
entered  into  with  the  several  unions  represented  in  the  various  depart¬ 
ments  of  a  newspaper.  The  publishers  of  St.  Louis  have  proceeded 
on  the  theory  that  when  the  employees  of  any  department  organize,  it 
is  better  to  treat  with  them  and  have  a  definite  understanding  than  to 
take  any  chance  of  a  misunderstanding  that  might  cause  an  interrup¬ 
tion  of  labor.  They  have  accordingly  entered  into  written  contracts 
with  all  the  unions  represented  in  their  establishments,  and  have 
endeavored  in  these  contracts  to  fairly  outline  the  rights  and  duties  of 
both  parties.  In  every  instance  a  joint  standing  committee  has  been 
provided,  to  which  all  differences  which  may  arise  shall  be  referred. 
If  the  joint  standing  committee  is  unable  to  adjust  these  differences, 
local  arbitration  is  provided  for. 

This  was  the  first  step  toward  industrial  peace,  or  rather  the  avoid¬ 
ance  of  industrial  conflicts.  The  initial  cause  of  friction  between 
employers  and  their  men  is  usually  the  refusal  of  the  employer  to 
recognize  the  organization  of  the  men.  The  next  most  fruitful  cause 
is  the  question  of  a  wage  scale.  Men  will  frequently  strike  for  recog¬ 
nition  of  the  union  when  they  are  entirely  satisfied  with  the  wages 
paid.  The  St.  Louis  publishers  believed,  and  their  experience  has 
justified  the  belief,  that  by  freely  and  honestly  recognizing  the  rights 
of  employees  to  organize,  and  by  providing  machinery  for  the  adjust¬ 
ment  of  differences,  they  were  pursuing  good  business  policy. 

A  newspaper  must  be  published  every  day.  The  public  demands 
and  has  a  right  to  an  uninterrupted  service.  The  newspaper  is  be¬ 
coming  part  and  parcel  of  our  every-day  life,  and  it  is  manifestly  to 
the  interest  of  both  publisher  and  public  to  avoid  any  interruption  in 
the  daily  output.  The  publisher  felt  that  even  though  recognition  of 
the  various  unions  meant  higher  wage  scales,  it  was  cheapest — to  put 
it  on  a  purely  commercial  basis — in  the  long  run. 

We  have  practically  had  no  labor  disturbances  in  St.  Louis  during 
the  past  ten  years  in  our  line,  although  in  nearly  every  instance  with 
the  expiration  of  an  old  contract  and  the  negotiation  of  a  new  one, 
came  an  increase  in  the  wage  scale.  We  have  had  frequent  arbitra¬ 
tions,  some  of  which  were  favorable  to  our  contentions,  others  were 
against  us.  In  most  instances  we  noted  that  the  decision  of  the  arbitra¬ 
tors  was  simply  a  compromise.  The  representatives  of  the  unions 
were  as  quick  as  we  were  to  appreciate  this  fact,  and  the  result  was 
that  whenever  any  demands  were  made  on  us,  they  were  of  such  an 
extravagant  nature  that  in  the  event  of  arbitration  the  usual  compro¬ 
mise  would  mean  a  material  benefit  to  the  union.  In  self-defense  the 
publishers  have  been  compelled  to  meet  demands  of  this  nature  with 
counter  demands  of  a  similar  character.  In  a  recent  case  the  absurdity 
of  the  whole  proceeding  was  so  evident  that  a  reasonable  adjustment 
of  differences  was  easily  accomplished. 

Other  incidental  drawbacks  to  arbitration  grew  out  of  the  inability^ 
to  secure  satisfactorv  arbitrators  on  account  of  the  bias  for  or  against 
one  party  or  the  other. 

The  American  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association  had  to  deal  with 
another  problem.  The  International  T}q)ographical  Union  had  juris¬ 
diction  over  the  offices  of  fully  80  per  cent  of  the  members  of  the 
association.  The  union  at  its  annual  or  biannual  sessions  would 
enact  legislation  affecting  the  relations  of  the  local  unions  as  a  whole 


APPENDIX  H. - PLAN  FOR  TRADE  AGREEMENTS. 


287 


to  the  publishers,  or  of  members  of  the  local  unions  to  the  publishers. 
Such  legislation  would  be  heard  of  only  when  it  became  effective;  and 
it  soon  became  evident  to  the  publishers  that  they  had  to  form  some 
kind  of  a  national  organization  with  powers  to  deal  with  the  national 
organization  of  the  printers. 

The  special  standing  committee  of  the  American  Newspaper  Pub¬ 
lishers’  Association  was  therefore  created,  and  was  given  power  to 
deal  with  the  executive  committee  of  the  International  Typographical 
Union.  The  association  is  now  given  an  opportunity  to  be  heard 
through  its  commissioner  at  all  sessions  of  the  International  Typo¬ 
graphical  Union  on  all  matters  affecting  the  interests  of  the  publishers. 

As  it  was  conceivable  that  local  arbitration  might  be  defective  or 
faulty,  or  that  an  unjust  award  might  be  given,  out  of  bias  or  preju¬ 
dice  due  to  local  conditions,  it  was  felt  that  some  form  of  appeal  from 
decisions  of  local  arbitrators  should  be  provided.  Moreover,  as 
instances  had  occurred  of  local  unions  repudiating  their  agreements, 
either  written  or  verbal,  with  publishers,  the  importance  of  having 
local  contracts  underwritten  or  guaranteed  by  the  national  association 
appealed  at  once  to  the  publishers.  An  agreement  was  therefore 
entered  into  with  the  International  Typographical  Union,  by  which  all 
contracts  with  local  unions  are  guaranteed  by  the  International  Typo¬ 
graphical  Union  and  local  unions  are  compelled  under  the  terms  of 
this  five-year  agreement,  to  live  up  to  all  the  requirements  of  their 
contracts.  There  is  thus  joint  supervision  and  control  on  the  part  of 
the  American  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association  and  the  International 
Typographical  Union  over  all  local  agreements,  and  provision  is  made 
for  an  appeal  from  decisions  of  local  arbitrators,  where  such  decisions 
are  manifestly  unfair. 

By  removing  the  final  tribunal  from  the  local  atmosphere,  it  is 
believed  that  more  stability  will  be  given  to  local  agreements,  and  that 
there  will  be  less  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  publishers  and  unions  to 
make  unreasonable  demands.  Whether  this  national  control  of  local 
affairs  will  work  satisfactorily  remains  to  be  demonstrated,  but  my 
impression  is  that  the  system  will  work  out  admirably,  as  it  provides 
at  once  a  poise  and  a  check.  It  secures  the  publisher  in  his  rights, 
and  protects  the  laborer  under  his  contract.  It  substitutes  judicial 
investigation  for  unreasoning  and  unreasonable  passion,  and  will  have, 
if  it  comes  up  to  the  expectation  of  its  authors,  the  very  beneficial 
effect  of  reducing  trade  disturbances  to  the  minimum,  and  the  bringing 
about  of  a  condition  of  industrial  peace  in  the  newspaper  business.  It 
will  make  both  publisher  and  printer  more  conservative,  more  consid¬ 
erate  of  the  rights  of  the  other,  and  more  careful  not  to  infringe  upon 
those  rights.  It  will  substitute  conciliation  and  arbitration  for  the 
brutal  strike  and  the  more  brutal  boycott,  and  in  this  way  avoid  the 
heavy'  losses  to  both  employer  and  employee  growing  out  of  labor 

controversies.  #  ,  . 

To  sum  it  up — arbitration  is  not  ideal;  it  is  better — it  is  practical. 

Yours  very  truly, 

M.  J.  Lowenstein. 


LETTER  FROM  S.  E.  MORSS,  OF  THE  INDIANAPOLIS  SENTINEL. 

Replying  to  your  inquir}^  of  September  18, 1  have  to  say  that  I  think 
The  Sentinel  was  one  of  the  first  newspapers  in  the  country,  if  not  the 
very  first,  to  enter  into  a  time  contract  with  the  local  typographical 


238  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

union.  When  I  purchased  an  interest  in  this  paper  on  February  1, 
1888,  a  strike  of  printers  in  the  morning-  newspaper  offices  had  recently 
taken  place,  and  all  the  daily  papers  in  the  city  were  set  up  by  non¬ 
union  printers.  One  of  the  first  things  1  did  was  to  have  a  conference 
with  the  officers  of  the  local  typographical  union.  The  Sentinel  com¬ 
pany  made  a  contract  with  the  union  which  was,  I  believe,  to  run  a 
certain  length  of  time — three  years,  I  think. 

A  few  months  later  the  other  daily  papers  of  the  city  made  similar 
contracts  with  the  union,  and  subsequently  the  newspapers  of  the  city 
formed  a  publishers’  association  for  the  purpose  of  dealing  with  the 
labor  unions,  and  contracts  are  now  made  from  time  to  time  between 
the  publishers’  association  and  the  local  typographical  union.  The 
results  have  been  entirely  satisfactory.  While  the  unions  have 
demanded  and  obtained  very  liberal  concessions,  and  I  feel  that  the 
employees  in  the  mechanical  departments  secure  a  disproportionate 
share  of  the  product  of  the  business,  I  will  say  that  every  contract 
made  has  been  scrupulously  fulfilled  by  the  union,  and  that  there  has 
been  no  friction  of  any  kind  after  the  contract  has  been  executed. 
Similar  arrangements  have  been  in  force  in  other  cities  for  several 
years  and  finally  a  contract  was  made  last  spring  between  the  Ameri¬ 
can  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Inter¬ 
national  Typographical  Union  and  the  International  Printing  Pressmen’s 
Union  on  the  other.  This  contract  was  ratified  by  a  substantially 
unanimous  vote  of  the  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association.  I  think 
the  general  feeling  is  that  these  arrangements  afford  the  best  method 
available,  under  existing  conditions,  of  regulating  relations  between 
newspaper  publishers  and  the  employees  in  their  mechanical  depart¬ 
ments.  Under  these  arrangements  the  liberty  of  action  by  proprietors 
is  very  largely  restricted.  They  surrender  a  good  many  of  the  rights 
which  the  owners  of  the  Pennsylvania  coal  mines  claim  to  be  inherent 
in  proprietors.  But  on  the  other  hand,  they  secure  a  high  standard  of 
service  and  efficiency  and  a  large  degree  of  stability  and  when  a  three- 
years’  contract  is  made  they  know  exactly  what  they  can  depend  upon 
for  that  period. 

While  the  unions  are  quite  exacting  and  advance  their  claims  at  the 
termination  of  every  contract,  I  personally  believe  in  the  right  and 
duty  of  workingmen  to  organize  and  to  use  their  organizations  to 
secure  such  benefits  as  they  can  in  the  way  of  increased  wages,  shorter 
hours  of  labor,  and  improved  conditions.  If  other  large  employers  of 
labor  would  deal  with  their  employees  in  the  same  spirit  as  the  Amer¬ 
ican  newspaper  publishers  do  there  would  not  be  many  serious  labor 
troubles.  I  must  confess,  however,  that  the  publishers  would  have 
found  it  very  difficult  at  any  time  for  many  years  to  ignore  the  typo¬ 
graphical  and  pressmen’s  unions.  These  organizations  are  strong  and 
are  conducted  with  much  intelligence  and  ability.  Many  publishers 
probably  would  prefer  to  deal  with  individual  employees,  but  the 
newspaper  proprietors  are  entitled  to  the  credit,  at  least ,  of  recog¬ 
nizing  the  cast-iron  facts  of  the  situation  and  conforming  to  them. 
The}7  have  met  these  organizations  in  a  broad  spirit  and  the  result  is 
that  for  some  years  there  have  been  very  few  strikes  among  the 
employees  in  the  mechanical  departments  of  newspapers. 

Yours  respectfully, 

S.  E.  Morss, 
President  and  Manager. 


APPENDIX  H. 


PLAN  FOR  TRADE  AGREEMENTS. 


239 


LIST  OF  REPRESENTATIVE  EMPLOYERS  MAKING  TRADE  AGREE¬ 
MENTS  WITH  TRADE  UNIONS. 

Sargent,  W.  D . 170  Broadway,  New  York  City. 

President  National  Founders’  Association. 

Penton,  John  A . . . Detroit,  Mich. 

Commissioner  National  Founders’  Association. 

Hoyt,  H.  W . 650  Ellston  avenue,  Chicago,  Ill. 

Vice-president  Allis-Chalmers  Machine  Company. 

Ex-president  National  Founders’  Association. 

Castle,  Chauncey  H . Comstock-Castle  Stove  Company,  Quincy,  Ill. 

President  National  Stove  Manufacturers’  Defense  Association. 

Hogan,  John  A . Auditorium  Tower,  Chicago,  Ill. 

Secretary  National  Stove  Manufacturers’  Defense  Association. 

Taylor,  Charles  H.,  jr . The  Boston  Globe,  Boston,  Mass. 

President  American  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association,  and  editor  of  Globe. 

Driscoll,  Frederick . 108  La  Salle  street,  Chicago,  Ill. 

Commissioner  American  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association. 

Lowenstein,  M.  J . St.  Louis  Star,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Secretary  American  Newspaper  Publishers’  Association,  editor  Star. 

Morss,  Samuel  E . Indianapolis  Sentinel,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Hanna,  D.  R . M.  A.  Hanna  &  Co.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Ex-chairman  Dock  Commissioners. 

Justi,  Herman . . . 855  Dearborn  street,  Chicago,  Ill. 

Commissioner  Illinois  Coal  Operators. 

THE  REPRESENTATIVE  PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  ILLINOIS,  OHIO  AND  WESTERN  PENNSYLVANIA 

BITUMINOUS  COAL  OPERATORS’  ASSOCIATION. 

Nevis,  George . Alton,  Ill. 

President  Glass  Works,  Illinois  Glass  Company. 

Chambers,  James  A . American  Window  Glass  Company,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

President  American  Window  Glass  Company. 

Ripley,  Edward  P . 77  Jackson  boulevard,  Chicago,  Ill. 

President  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  Railroad  System. 

HEADS  OF  THE  LABOR  ORGANIZATIONS  MAKING  SAID  CONTRACTS. 

Keefe,  Daniel  J . Wetherbee  Building,  Detroit,  Mich. 

President  International  Longshoremen’s  Association. 

Lynch,  James  M . De  Soto  Block,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

President  International  Typographical  Union. 

Hayes,  Dennis  A . 930  Witherspoon  Building,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

President  Glass  Bottle  Blowers’  Association. 

Higgins,  Martin . 202  Lexington. avenue,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

International  Pressmen’s  Union. 


APPENDIX  I. 


PROPOSED  BILL  PROVIDING  FOR  COMPUL¬ 
SORY  INVESTIGATION  AND  PUBLICITY. 


S.  Doc.  6 - 16 


241 


APPENDIX  I. 


PROPOSED  BILL  PROVIDING  FOR  COMPULSORY  INVESTIGATION 

AND  PUBLICITY. 

INVESTIGATION  AND  PUBLICITY  AS  OPPOSED  TO  “COMPULSORY 

ARBITRATION.” 

[Read  before  the  American  Civic  Federation  at  its  meeting  in  New  York,  Monday,  December  8,  1902, 

by  Charles  Francis  Adams.] 

More  than  a  year  ago,  during  the  great  steel  strike  of  August,  1901, 
I  prepared  a  communication  setting  forth  certain  Massachusetts  expe¬ 
riences,  during  previous  similar  troubles,  as  being  worthy  of  consid¬ 
eration.  They  suggested  a  possible  solution,  practical  in  character, 
of  what  are  known  as  “labor  troubles” — the  conflicts  between 
employer  and  employee  which  result  in  strikes  and  tie  ups.  Printed 
in  various  papers,  this  communication  caused  at  the  time  some  discus¬ 
sion.  More  recently  I  have  been  applying  the  experience  then  set 
forth,  and  the  principles  advocated,  to  the  existing  and  more  serious 
complications  which  have  since  arisen.  I  have  also  been  in  communi¬ 
cation  with  Col.  Carroll  D.  Wright  and  Mr.  Henry  Cabot  Lodge,  one 
of  the  Senators  from  Massachusetts,  discussing  the  facts  and  theories 
involved,  with  a  view  to  what  may  be  considered  an  outcome  based  on 
the  systems,  political  and  constitutional,  as  well  as  the  labor  condi¬ 
tions  and  the  social  and  industrial  organizations,  existing  to-day  in 
the  United  States.  With  a  view  to  ultimate  satisfactory  results,  the 
effort  has  been  to  recognize  facts,  and  to  make  action  conform  to  them. 
My  purpose  to-day  is  to  set  forth  as  briefly  as  possible  the  conclusions 
so  far  reached. 

In  the  communication  referred  to,  I  first  called  attention  to  the 
nearest  approach  to  a  practical  solution  of  the  labor  problem  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  American  conditions,  ideals  and  traditions,  which  has,  so 
far  as  I  know,  yet  been  devised  and  put  in  use.  And,  in  making  this 
statement,  I  lay  emphasis  upon  the  word  “American”;  for  I  hold  it  to 
be  quite  useless  to  take  a  system,  whether  purely  ideal  and  theoretical, 
or  even,  in  other  countries,  practicable,  and  apply  it  generally.  The 
first  essential  to  success  in  constructing  or  developing  any  system  of 
laws  is  that  such  system  shall  be  in  conformity  with  the  conditions, 
ideals  and  traditions  of  the  community  for  which  it  is  designed.  To 
ignore  them,  much  more  to  run  counter  to  them,  is  to  court  failure  at 
the  outset.  As  Alexander  Hamilton  said  more  than  a  century  ago  of 
the  United  States  Constitution, — “A  government  must  be  fitted  to  a 
nation  much  as  a  coat  to  the  individual;  and  consequently  what  may  be 
good  at  Philadelphia,  may  be  bad  at  Paris  and  ridiculed  at  Petersburg.” 
In  like  manner,  a  system  of  legislation  designed  to  regulate  the  rela¬ 
tions  of  labor  and  capital  may  work  well  in  Australia;  but  it  by  no 
means  follows  that  a  similar  system  would  work  well  in  Great  Britain 

243 


244  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


or  Germany:  and  a  system  which  might  be  practical,  if  not  reasonably 
satisfactory,  in  Bohemia  and  Austro-Hungary  would  almost  surely 
prove  quite  otherwise  in  the  United  States. 

This  I  am  well  aware  is  a  commonplace,  almost,  indeed,  a  platitude. 
And  yet  it  is  necessary  to  premise  it  carefully;  for,  just  so  long  as  men 
are  what  they  now  are,  unusual  exigencies  will,  under  any  system  of 
government,  from  time  to  time  arise:  but,  when  such  do  arise,  it  is 
always  very  noticeable  how  the  air  is  at  once  filled  with  suggestions 
of  remedy,  either  quite  untried  or  borrowed  from  other  lands.  And 
such  are  recommended  for  immediate  adoption,  wholly  regardless  of 
our  constitution,  laws,  political  organization  or  the  spirit  of  our  indus¬ 
trial  development.  This  is  empirical;  and,  in  these  matters,  empiracy 
is  of  all  things  to  be  shunned. 

I  come  now  to  the  experience  I  have  referred  to.  There  is,  in  the 
State  of  Massachusetts,  and  has  been  for  over  thirty  years,  a  board  of 
railroad  commissioners.  In  the  history  of  that  board  there  was  one 
important,  but  now  quite  forgotten,  incident,  from  which  a  highly  sug¬ 
gestive  lesson  may  be  drawn.  It  occurred  twenty-five  years  ago.  The 
Massachusetts  railroad  commission  was  organized  on  the  theory  that,  in 
adjusting  matters  of  difference  between  the  community  and  its  railroad 
corporations,  the  vesting  of  arbitrary  power  in  such  a  tribunal  was  a 
hindrance  to  it  rather  than  a  help;  for  the  reason  that  in  America  force 
is  in  the  long  run  less  effective  in  producing  results  than  investigation, 
and  subsequent  well-considered  recommendations  based  thereon.  The 
appeal  was  in  every  case  to  be  made  to  reason  and  public  opinion,  and 
not  to  the  sheriff  or  the  soldier.  Accordingly,  in  the  event  of  differ¬ 
ences  between  the  corporations  and  their  employees,  even  those  result¬ 
ing  in  strikes  and  tie-ups,  the  commissioners  had  no  executive  power. 
It  was  their  duty,  in  a  general  way,  to  take  official  cognizance  of  the 
fact  when  the  community  was  sustaining  an  injury  or  an  inconvenience, 
and  to  investigate  the  causes  thereof.  Having  so  investigated,  the 
board  was  empowered  to  locate  the  responsibility  for  the  injury  and 
inconvenience,  and  to  make  its  recommendations  accordingly;  but  those 
recommendations  had  merely  a  moral  force.  They  could  be  addressed 
to  the  parties  concerned,  and  to  public  opinion,  only.  Their  effect, 
greater  or  less,  was  measured  by  the  justice  and  good  sense  impressed 
upon  them.  The  commissioners,  moreover,  disavowed  any  wish  to  be 
clothed  with  larger  powers.  They  feared  the  possession  of  such  pow¬ 
ers.  They  were  persuaded  they  could  in  the  end  accomplish  more 
satisfactory  results  without  them. 

This  theory  was  soon  put  to  a  test.  At  4  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  12th  of  February,  1877,  all  the  locomotive  engineers  and  firemen 
in  the  employ  of  the  Boston  and  Maine  Railroad  Company  stopped 
work  in  a  body,  abandoning  their  trains.  The  move  was  not  altogether 
unexpected,  but  the  operation  of  the  road  was  seriously  interfered 
with.  The  commissioners  did  not  at  first  intervene,  neither  party 
calling  upon  them.  Indeed,  both  parties  were  unwilling  so  to  do,  for 
each  was  apprehensive,  apparently,  of  adverse  action.  During  several 
days,  accordingly,  the  commissioners  preserved  an  attitude  of  silent 
observation.  After  the  lapse  of  a  reasonable  period,  however,  the 
board  concluded  that  it  was  plainly  time  to  recognize  the  fact  that  the 
public  was  suffering  serious  inconvenience;  for  then  the  Boston  and 
Maine  Railroad  was,  as  it  still  is,  one  of  the  principal  arteries  of  east¬ 
ern  New  England.  The  president  and  directors  of  the  company  and 


APPENDIX  I. - BILL  FOR  COMPULSORY  INVESTIGATION.  245 


the  employees  of  the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers  were 
accordingly  notified  that  the  board  proposed  to  take  a  hand  in  the  busi¬ 
ness.  This  it  proceeded  to  do.  An  immediate  investigation  was  notified. 
Both  parties  appeared,  for,  without  confessing  itself  in  the  wrong, 
neither  party  could  well  help  so  doing,  and  professed  a  perfect  will¬ 
ingness  to  submit  their  cases.  No  suggestion  of  a  readiness  to  abide 
by  any  decision  that  might  be  given  thereon  was  either  asked  for  or 
given;  but  the  board  proceeded  to  hear  witnesses  and  to  elicit  the  facts. 
The  inquiry  was  continued  through  three  days;  and,  on  the  21st  of 
February,  the  report  of  the  board  was  made  public,  appearing  in  full 
in  all  the  newspapers  of  that  date.  In  it  the  commissioners,  after  care¬ 
fully  and  judicially  sifting  out  the  essential  facts  from  the  evidence 
submitted,  placed  the  responsibilit}T  for  the  trouble  where  the  weight 
of  evidence  showed  it  belonged;  and  thereupon  proceeded  to  make 
such  recommendations  as  in  its  judgment  the  exigencies  called  for. 
The  effect  was  immediate.  An  authentic  record  was  before  the  com¬ 
munity,  and  public  opinion,  crystallizing,  made  itself  decisively  felt. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  enter  further  into  the  history  and  merits, — the 
rights  and  the  wrongs, — of  that  particular  struggle.  My  object  is 
merely  to  call  attention  to  what  was  then  done,  and  done  successfully, 
as  constituting  the  nearest  practical  approach  consistent  with  our 
American  political  and  social  system  to  what  is  known  as  “  compul¬ 
sory  arbitration.”  It  was  compulsory  inquiry  only;  and  an  appeal 
thereon  to  the  reason  and  sense  of  right  of  all  concerned.  Reliance 
was  placed  in  an  enlightened  sense  of  right  of  all  concerned,  and  an 
informed  public  opinion. 

Here  then  is  a  s}^stem.  Under  it  a  public  tribunal  is  provided;  that 
tribunal  takes  official  cognizance  of  what  is  notorious;  and,  when  either 
the  peace  or  the  business  of  the  community  sustains  prejudice  or  is 
gravely  jeopardized,  it  becomes  its  duty  to  intervene.  It  intervenes 
only  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  information  necessary  to  enable 
it  to  form  a  clear,  judicial  opinion.  It  then  sets  the  facts  before  the 
community,  and  makes  its  recommendation.  It  locates  responsibility. 
There  it  stops;  for  it  can  compel  obedience  on  neither  side. 

Now,  let  us  apply  this  proposed  system  to  the  conditions  which,  for 
the  last  eight  months,  have  existed  in  the  anthracite  coal  region.  Let 
us  assume  that  provision  by  law  existed  under  which  the  Executive, 
either  National  or  State,  was  empowered  and  directed  to  appoint  such  a 
board  pro  hacvice,  calling  it  into  existence  to  meet  a  sudden  emergency. 
The  chances,  I  submit,  are  at  least  nine  out  of  ten  that,  if  such  a  ma¬ 
chinery  had  existed,  and  had  been  judiciously  employed  either  by  the 
governor  of  Pennsylvania  or  the  President  of  the  United  States,  a 
practical  solution  of  the  difficulty  which  for  the  last  eight  months  has 
harassed  the  country  would  have  been  reached.  The  community  began 
to  sustain  grave  prejudice  at  an  early  stage  of  the  troubles.  The  result¬ 
ing  injury  became  more  and  more  flagrant  as  the  weeks  passed  by. 
The  continuance  of  such  conditions  not  only  was  injurious  to  private 
interests,  but,  as  we  all  know,  the  public  peace  itself  was  involved. 
Under  such  circumstances,  experience  shows  that  neither  party  will, 
for  obvious  reasons,  voluntarily  call  upon  a  board  or  commission  to 
intervene;  for  such  action  is  tantamount  to  a  confession  of  weakness. 
Both  will  look  at  it  askance.  It  must  rest,  therefore,  in  the  discretion 
of  the  Executive  to  decide  whether  a  case  has  arisen  which  calls  for 
public  initiative;  the  public  being  a  third  party  to  the  controversy. 


246  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

That  it  is  such,  it  is  impossible  to  deny.  It,  therefore,  has  rights  and 
interests — a  standing  in  court.  It  having  been  decided,  in  the  exercise 
of  a  sound  discretion,  that  circumstances  call  for  this  third  party  to 
act,  the  Executive  gives  notice  to  all  concerned  that,  at  the  proper 
time  and  place,  it  is  proposed  to  enter  upon  an  investigation.  If  both 
parties  see  fit  then  to  appear  and  submit  evidence  as  to  the  facts,  that 
evidence  becomes  public  property.  If  one  party  appears,  the  other 
absents  itself  at  its  peril.  Should  neither  party  appear,  producing 
authentic  documents  and  putting  in  a  case,  the  board  would  proceed 
to  enlighten  itself  through  all  other  accessible  means.  In  behalf  of 
the  third  party  to  the  controversy,  of  which  it  is  the  representative,  it 
should  be  empowered  to  summon  witnesses  and  to  enforce  the  pro¬ 
duction  of  documents.  Having  completed  its  investigation,  it  would 
then  make  its  recommendations  definitely,  and,  if  it  knows  its  business, 
concisely,  locating  responsibility  where  the  evidence  shows  it  belongs. 
A  practical  solution  of  the  trouble,  such  as  would  naturally  commend 
itself  to  the  judgment  of  an  unprejudiced  tribunal,  would  be  pointed 
out.  A  solution  of  that  sort  always  exists.  This  report  would  be 
transmitted  to  the  appointing  power,  whether  President  or  governor. 
By  him  it  would  then  be  communicated  to  the  parties  in  interest, 
including  the  public;  and,  in  due  time,  submitted  to  Congress,  or  the 
State  legislature,  always  with  such  enforcing  or  qualifying  recommen¬ 
dations  as  might  commend  themselves  to  executive  judgment.  The 
report  so  made  would  carry  with  the  public  and  with  the  parties  con¬ 
cerned  exactly  that  degree  of  weight  its  judicial  character  and  reasoning 
might  impart  to  it, — that,  and  nothing  more.  It  could  not  be  enforced 
by  any  governmental  process.  There  would  be  neither  sheriff,  nor 
posse  comitatus ,  nor  military  force,  behind  it.  But,  if  well  reasoned 
and  impartial,  it  would  bring  to  bear  the  moral  weight  of  an  enlight¬ 
ened  public  opinion. 

Did  such  a  machinery  as  this  exist,  simple  and  advisory  only,  it  is 
not  unsafe  to  say  that  it  would  prove  adequate  for  the  settlement  of 
nine  complications  out  of  ten.  In  the  case  of  the  anthracite  strike,  for 
instance,  if  the  Commission  since  appointed  by  President  Roosevelt 
could  have  been  appointed  four  months  sooner,  while  the  conflict  was 
in  the  earlier  stage  of  development,  its  report  would  have  afforded  to 
one  or  both  parties  concerned  an  opportunity  to  withdraw  creditably 
from  a  position  which  afterwards,  for  at  least  one  of  them,  became 
false  and  consequently  perilous.  What  the  country  has  needed  is 
light, — the  possession,  if  not  of  undisputed  facts,  at  least  of  an  authen¬ 
tic  statement  of  the  facts  in  dispute.  Had  these  been  spread  upon  the 
record  and  submitted  for  public  consideration,  it  could  hardly  be  other¬ 
wise  than  that  recommendations  firm,  judicious  and  reasonable,  based 
thereon,  would  have  sufficed  to  remove  from  the  path  the  impediment 
of  false  pride, — that  stumbling  block  in  the  case  of  nine  strikes  out 
of  ten.  An  opportunity  of  gracefully  receding  would  have  been 
offered  to  one  or  both  parties  concerned.  Should  either  party  have 
then  insisted,  in  the  face  of  light  and  reason,  the  responsibility  for 
obstinate  insistence  would  have  been  upon  its  head.  In  the  United 
States  public  opinion  has  in  such  cases  a  very  summary,  as  well  as 
effective,  way  of  enforcing  its  own  process.  An  excellent  and  sufficient 
example  of  this  was  furnished  in  the  sudden  change  of  front  on  the  part 
of  one  of  the  parties  to  the  present  anthracite  complication,  executed 
in  the  face  of  a  rapidly  rising  popular  sentiment.  Persistence  was 


APPENDIX  I. 


BILL  FOR  COMPULSORY  INVESTIGATION.  247 


felt  to  involve  too  much  risk.  It  would  be  so  in  the  great  mass  of 
these  cases.  They  are  preventable.  But  what  is  wanted  for  their 
prevention  is  not  force,  but  light  and  guidance. 

This  generally  acknowledged  fact  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding, 
it  is  singular  to  note,  when  any  controversy  arises,  how  such  a  method 
of  settlement  as  that  here  proposed  is  at  once  set  aside  as  being  inade¬ 
quate  and  unworthy  of  consideration,  because  behind  it  there  is  no 
constable’s  club  or"  soldier’s  bayonet.  In  fact,  however,  the  word 
u  compulsion”  has  an  unpleasant  sound  to  Americans.  In  theory  only 
is  the  thing  itself  popular.  With  us  the  final  appeal  must  always  be 
to  reason;  and  public  opinion  enforces  the  edict  of  that  appeal.  In 
every  field  of  legislation  this  has  been  again  and  again  illustrated;  and 
yet  the  appeal  to  reason,  as  now  here  made,  is  almost  as  invariably  as 
contemptuously  dismissed  from  consideration  on  the  ground  that  there 
is  behind  it  no  force  to  compel  obedience. 

It  is  this  tendency  to  compulsion  against  which,  I  submit,  it  is  the 
especial  function  of  the  Civic  Federation  to  protest.  We  should  lay 
emphasis  on  the  fact  that  our  appeal  is  to  reason,  and  not  to  force. 
The  difficulty  with  the  Federation  is  not  want  of  power,  but  want  of 
official  standing.  It  is  a  volunteer.  At  no  time,  for  instance,  during 
the  last  six  months  could  it  enter  the  field  as  representing  the  execu¬ 
tive  of  either  State  or  Nation;  and  had  it  entered  the  field  on  its  own 
initiative  only  it  would  have  been  in  imminent  danger  of  incurring 
the  contempt  not  only  of  both  parties  to  the  controversy,  but  of  the 
public  itself.  It  has,  therefore,  been  compelled  to  inaction,— a  purely 
waiting  attitude.  This  fact  in  itself  discloses  a  want.  A  piece  of 
machinery  is  lacking. 

But  it  is  argued  that  such  boards  already  exist,  and  the  results  of  their 
efforts  have  not  proved  satisfactory.  This  assumption  I  deny,  and 
on  broad  grounds.  When  such  large  interests  are  involved  as,  for 
instance,  in  the  strike  in  the  anthracite  coal  regions,  represented  by 
men  of  capacity  on  each  side,  to  deal  effectively  it  would  be  necessary 
for  the  community  to  havre  the  power  of  availing  itself  of  the  services 
of  the  very  best  men,  and  those  of  the  highest  character  and  author¬ 
ity  at  its  command.  If  it  speaks  at  all,  it  should  speak  adequately. 
If  in  June  it  had  been  the  duty,  as  well  as  within  the  power,  of  the 
President,  or  of  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  recognizing  that  the 
public  interests  and  convenience  were  involved,  and  that  lasting 
injuries  might  be  entailed,  to  take  cognizance  of  the  situation  in  the 
anthracite  region,  it  should,  under  the  system  proposed,  have  been 
the  duty  of  either  Executive  to  call  upon  the  very  strongest  men  in  the 
community, — those  of  highest  character  and  most  intimately  acquainted 
with  every  condition  involved.  No  man  in  the  country  so  called  upon 
could  have  refused  to  serve;  yet  such  men  will  not  accept,  nor  should 
they  be  expected  to  accept,  merely  salaried  positions,  permanent  in 
character,  on  a  board  of  subordinate  importance. 

The  machinery  now  suggested  should,  moreover,  be  reserved,  and 
brought  into  action  only  in  special  exigencies.  It  is  not  designed  nor  is 
it  adapted  to  every-day 'use.  In  that  field  the  existing  boards  are  doing 
good  service,  and  doing  it  sufficiently  well;  but,  for  obvious  reasons, 
they  are  not  equal  to  the  exceptional  occasions.  They  occupy  the  posi¬ 
tions  of  municipal  courts;  but,  where  grave  problems  of  constitutional 
law  present  themselves,  such  are  not  referred  to  police  magistrates  for 
decision,  nor  would  the  decision  of  those  magistrates,  if  rendered 


248  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 


upon  them,  carry  the  necessary  weight.  Exceptional  cases  can  only  be 
dealt  with  exceptionally.  Fortunately  they  do  not  arise  often.  In 
the  field  of  labor  complications,  for  instance,  two  only  have  occurred 
during  the  last  eighteen  months.  But  they  unquestionably  will  recur 
periodically  in  the  future;  and,  when  they  come,  their  presence  is 
unmistakable.  It  would  then  be  for  the  executive,  State  or  National, 
to  take  cognizance  of  what  is  apparent,  and  set  in  motion  the  special 
machinery  designed  and  held  in  reserve  for  that  exigency. 

It  is  equally  futile  to  s&y  that  the  parties  concerned,  unconsenting 
thereto,  might  decline  to  appear  before  such  a  commission.  In  such 
case  the  Commission  would  simply  proceed  with  its  inquiry  in  the 
absence  of  such  party  or  parties.  With  the  power  of  summoning  wit¬ 
nesses  and  compelling  the  production  of  books,  all  necessary  informa¬ 
tion  would  be  accessible  to  it.  But  the  parties  could  not  refuse  to 
appear.  They  would  not  dare  to  refuse. 

Finalty,  the  report  of  such  a  tribunal,  addressed  to  its  appointing 
power,  would  be  like  the  decision  of  a  high  court  of  justice  on  an 
abstract  point  of  constitutional  law  of  the  first  magnitude.  Read  by 
everyone,  if  the  decision  were  weak,  or  bore  in  it  signs  of  prejudice 
or  interest,  it  would,  falling  dead,  fail  to  influence  public  opinion. 
Equally,  if  handled  with  a  firm  and  intelligent  grasp,  it  would  carry 
conviction.  That  conviction,  when  so  carried,  is  in  this  country  irre¬ 
sistible.  It  in  the  end  makes  opposition  confessedly  factious. 

The  trouble  with  us  is  that  we  are  always  prating  of  the  force  of 
public  opinion;  but,  when  the  exigency  arises,  we  evince  no  confidence 
whatever  in  it.  Like  a  parcel  of  children,  we  are  apt  to  cry  out  for 
the  master  to  come  in  and  enforce  instant  obedience  with  the  rod.  I 
submit  that  permanent  results  with  us  in  America  are  not  reached  in 
that  way.  Let  us  in  this  matter  have  the  courage  of  our  convictions. 

I  have  already  expressed  my  belief  that,  if  such  a  system  as  I  have 
here  suggested  could  be  brought  into  being  through  a  very  simple  act 
of  legislation,  which,  open  to  no  constitutional  or  other  objection, 
would  be  in  entire  accord  with  our  industrial  system,  our  traditions, 
and  the  American  ideals,  it  would  settle  nine  matters  of  controversy 
which  arise  out  of  ten.  I  now  further  submit,  it  is  highly  desirable 
from  every  point  of  view  that  the  tenth  case  of  controversy  should 
not  be  settled,  but  should  be  fought  out.  In  the  practical  affairs  of 
life,  as  we  all  know,  it  is  necessary  now  and  then  that  the  fight  should 
be  to  a  finish.  Our  own  civil  war  was  a  case  in  point.  No  arbitration 
ever  could  have  settled  that;  no  appeal  to  reason  would  have  produced 
conviction.  The  issue  had  to  be  fought  to  the  bitter  end.  That  it  was 
so  fought  we  are  now  all  grateful,  though,  at  the  time,  the  demand 
was  load  and  incessant  for  some  compromise, — any  close  to  the  u  use¬ 
less,  the  suicidal  strife.”  This  exceptional  case,  however,  by  no  means 
brought  the  principles  of  arbitration  and  reasonable  adjustment  into 
discredit,  and  consequent  disuse.  On  the  contrary,  they  have  grown 
stronger  ever  since,  securing  more  and  more  hold  on  public  opinion. 
What  is  necessary,  in  my  judgment,  is  to  organize  that  public  opinion, 
and,  when  organized  and  made  effective,  to  rely  on  it  to  produce  all 
desirable  results  in  the  average  case.  But  it  can  only  be  organized  by 
bringing  it  to  bear  through  the  medium  of  capable  men,  thoroughly 
informed  upon  the  special  matter  under  discussion,  and  competent  to 
express  courageous  opinions  clearly.  The  tribunal  doing  this  should 
then  dissolve.  It  should  not  continue  in  existence,  the  target  for  criti- 


APPENDIX  I. - BILL  FOR  COMPULSORY  INVESTIGATION.  249 

cism,  partisan  discussion,  and  popular  odium.  Should  a  new  case  arise, 
another  tribunal  of  a  similar  character  would  at  the  proper  time  be 
called  into  being  to  deal  with  it  in  its  turn. 

Sound  and  fruitful  legislation  can  not,  moreover,  be  improvised. 
It  is  idle  to  talk  in  language  as  empty  as  it  is  grandiose  of  u  curbing,” 
or  regulating  by  any  patented  method,  potentates  and  power  of  such 
large,  and  yet  vague,  character  as  those  that  labor  and  capital  are  now 
continually  bringing  into  the  field.  A  governmental  regulation  which 
shall  deal  satisfactorily  with  them  must  rest  upon  a  broad  and  well- 
considered  basis  of  experience.  It  would  be  the  natural  outcome  of 
a  series  of  reports  of  tribunals  such  as  that  suggested.  It  is  equally 
futile  to  suppose  that  this  labor  contest  in  which  we  have  been  engaged, 
and  of  which  we  have  so  long  experienced  the  inconvenient  results,  is 
going  to  be  settled  in  a  day  or  an  hour,  or  next  year,  or  within  the 
next  ten  years.  It  will  continue  with  us  during  the  remainder  of  our 
lives,  and  with  our  children  after  us;  but  we  will  slowly  and  tenta¬ 
tively  approximate  to  satisfactory  results.  Under  these  circumstances 
if  a  solution,  represented  by  a  proper  legislative  and  administrative 
machinery,  is  ever  to  be  evolved,  it  must  be  evolved  from  a  series  of 
wearisome  investigations,  and  reports  thereon,  no  less  judicial  and 
well  considered  than  that  body  of  great  opinions  from  which  the 
present  Constitution  of  the  United  States  has  been  slowly  built  up 
and  rounded  out. 

In  the  case  of  the  National  Executive,  some  question  has  been  raised 
as  to  its  functions  and  powers,  in  view  of  our  constitutional  system 
and  the  reserved  rights  of  the  States.  I  can  not,  however,  see  that 
this  enters  into  the  present  question,  or  what  is  now  proposed.  It  is 
certainly  the  duty  of  the  President  to  inform  himself  upon  all  ques¬ 
tions  relating  to  the  carriage  of  the  mails,  and  to  the  movement  of 
commerce,  whether  foreign  or  interstate.  Questions  of  revenue  aie 
involved;  questions  affecting  the  transportation  of  material,  men  and 
supplies  may  be  involved.  To  inform  himself  he  should  be  empowered 
to  appoint  agencies  competent  to  investigate  and  report  thereon.  It 
is  not  now  proposed  to  clothe  him  with  any  power  in  these  exigencies, 
except  that  of  receiving  a  report,  forwarding  it  to  the  parties  involved, 
together  with  his  own  recommendations,  and  then  submitting  the  same 
to  Congress.  To  give  the  President  power  to  intervene  by  any  execu¬ 
tive  act  of  a  compulsory  character  would,  in  my  opinion,  jeopardize 
at  the  beginning  every  desirable  ultimate  result  of  the  experiment 
proposed.*5  Congressional  action  is  always  in  reserve:  but  even  Con¬ 
gressional  action  ought  to  be  intelligent;  and,  to  be  intelligent,  it  should 
be  well  considered, — based  on  a  considerable  body  of  facts,  judicially 
ascertained.  The  judicial  ascertainment  of  facts  and  the  stud^  of  piin- 
ciples  involved  therein,  is,  therefore,  what  the  occasion  immediately 
demands.  Sound  remedial  legislation  will  in  due  time  result  there¬ 
from.  But  at  present  the  chances  are  enormous  that  crude  and  pre¬ 
cipitate  effort  at  a  compulsory  betterment  of  existing  conditions  would 
only  make  what  is  already  quite  sufficiently  bad,  distinctly  worse. 

As  the  result  of  my  conversations  with  Colonel  Wright  and  Mr. 
Lodge,  I  have  undertaken  to  draw  up  a  simple  act,  in  few  sections, 
based  upon  the  foregoing  principles  and  looking'  to  the  lesults  indi¬ 
cated.  It  could  be  passed,  mutatis  mutandis ,  by  any  State  legislature 
or  by  Congress.  It  would  contravene  no  constitutional  piovision  01 
private  right,  but  simply  secure  to  the  community,  the  third  paity 


250  REPORT  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

involved  in  every  controversy  of  this  sort  of  any  magnitude, — the  right 
to  get  at  the  facts  in  dispute;  and,  after  so  doing,  to  bring  to  bear  an 
intelligent  pressure  of  its  own,  looking  to  a  reasonable  solution  of 
troubles  sure,  hereafter,  to  arise.  Such  an  act  has  accordinglv  been 
prepared,  and  is  subjoined  hereto. 

AN  ACT  TO  PROVIDE  FOR  THE  INVESTIGATION  OF  CONTROVERSIES 
AFFECTING  INTERSTATE  COMMERCE  AND  FOR  OTHER  PURPOSES. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  of  America 

in  Congress  assembled: 

Section  1.  That  whenever  within  any  State  or  States,  Territory  or  Territories  of 
the  United  States  a  controversy  concerning  wages,  hours  of  labor,  or  conditions  of 
employment  shall  arise  between  an  employer  being  an  individual,  partnership,  asso¬ 
ciation,  corporation  or  other  combination,  and  the  employees  or  association  or 
combination  of  employees  of  such  employer,  by  reason  of  which  controversy  the 
transportation  of  the  United  States  mails,  the  operations,  civil  or  military,  of  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  or  the  free  and  regular  movement  of  commerce 
among  the  several  States  and  with  foreign  nations  is  in  the  judgment  of  the  Presi¬ 
dent  interrupted  or  directly  affected,  or  threatened  with  being  so  interrupted  or 
directly  affected,  the  President  shall  in  his  discretion  inquire  into  the  same  and 
investigate  the  causes  thereof. 

Sec.  2.  To  this  end  the  President  may  appoint  a  special  Commission,  not  exceed¬ 
ing  seven  in  number,  of  persons  in  his  judgment  specially  qualified  to  conduct  such 
an  investigation. 

Sec.  3.  Such  Commission  shall  organize  with  all  convenient  despatch,  and  upon 
giving  reasonable  notice  to  the  parties  to  the  controversy,  either  at  the  seat  of  dis¬ 
turbance  or  elsewhere,  as  it  may  deem  most  expedient,  shall  proceed  to  investigate 
the  causes  of  such  controversy  and  the  remedy  therefor. 

Sec.  4.  The  parties  to  the  controversy  shall  be  entitled  to  be  present  in  person  or 
by  counsel  throughout  the  continuation  of  the  investigation,  and  shall  be  entitled  to 
a  hearing  thereon,  subject  always  to  such  rules  of  procedure  as  the  Commission  may 
adopt;  but  nothing  in  this  section  contained  shall  be  construed  as  entitling  said  par¬ 
ties  to  be  present  during  the  proceedings  of  the  Commission  prior  to  or  after  the 
completion  of  their  investigation. 

Sec.  5.  For  the  purpose  of  this  act,  the  Commission,  or  any  one  Commissioner, 
shall  have  power  to  administer  oaths  and  affirmations,  to  sign  subpoenas,  to  require 
the  testimony  of  witnesses  either  by  attendance  in  person  or  by  deposition,  and  to 
require  the  production  of  such  books,  papers,  contracts,  agreements,  and  documents 
as  may  be  deemed  material  to  a  just  determination  of  the  matters  under  investigation; 
and  to  this  end  the  Commission  may  invoke  the  aid  of  the  courts  of  the  United  States 
to  compel  witnesses  to  attend  and  testify  and  to  produce  such  books,  papers,  con¬ 
tracts,  agreements,  and  documents;  and  for  the  purposes  of  this  section  it  shall  be 
vested  with  the  same  powers,  to  the  same  extent  and  under  the  same  conditions  and 
penalties,  as  are  vested  in  the  Interstate  Commerce  Commission  by  the  act  to  regu¬ 
late  commerce,  approved  February  4,  1887,  and  the  acts  amendatory  and  in  addition 
thereto;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said  courts  of  the  United  States  to  render 
said  Commission  the  same  aid  to  the  same  extent  and  under  the  same  conditions  as 
is  provided  by  said  acts  in  aid  of  said  Interstate  Commerce  Commission;  and  wit¬ 
nesses  examined  as  aforesaid  shall  be  subject  to  the  same  duties  and  entitled  to  the 
same  immunities  as  is  provided  in  said  acts. 

Sec.  6.  For  the  purposes  of  this  act  the  Commission  may,  whenever  it  deems  it 
expedient,  enter  and  inspect  any  public  institution,  factory,  workshop,  or  mine,  and 
may  employ  one  or  more  competent  experts  to  examine  accounts,  books,  or  official 


APPENDIX  I. - BILL  FOR  COMPULSORY  INVESTIGATION.  251 

reports,  or  to  examine  and  report  on  any  matter,  material  to  the  investigation,  in 
which  such  examination  and  report  may  be  deemed  of  substantial  assistance. 

Sec.  7.  Having  made  such  investigation  and  elicited  such  information  of  all  the 
facts  connected  with  the  controversy  into  which  they  were  appointed  to  inquire,  the 
Commission  shall  formulate  its  report  thereon,  setting  forth  the  causes  of  the  same, 
locating  so  far  as  may  be  the  responsibility  therefor,  and  making  such  specific  recom¬ 
mendations  as  shall  in  its  judgment  put  an  end  to  such  controversy  or  disturbance  and 
prevent  a  recurrence  thereof,  suggesting  any  legislation  which  the  case  may  seem  to 
require. 

Sec.  8.  The  report  of  such  Commission  shall  forthwith  be  transmitted  to  the  Presi¬ 
dent  and  by  him  communicated,  together  with  such  portions  of  the  evidence  elicited 
and  any  comments  of  further  recommendation  he  may  see  fit  to  make,  to  the  princi¬ 
pal  parties  responsible  for  the  controversy  or  involved  therein;  and  the  papers  shall 
be  duly  transmitted  to  Congress  for  its  information  and  action. 

Sec.  9.  The  Commission  may,  from  time  to  time,  make  or  amend  such  general 
rules  or  orders  as  may  be  deemed  appropriate  for  the  order  and  regulation  of  its 
investigations  and  proceedings,  including  forms  of  notices  and  the  service  thereof, 
which  shall  conform  as  nearly  as  may  be  to  those  in  use  in  the  courts  of  the  United 
States. 

Sec.  10.  The  President  is  authorized  and  empowered  to  fix  a  reasonable  compen¬ 
sation  to  be  paid  to  the  members  of  the  Commission  from  the  Treasury  at  such  times 
and  in  such  manner  as  he  shall  direct.  The  Commission  shall  have  authority  to 
employ  and  fix  the  compensation  of  such  employees  as  it  may  find  necessary  to  the 
proper  performance  of  his  duties,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Interior. 

The  Commission  shall  be  furnished  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  with  suitable 
offices  and  all  necessary  office  supplies.  Witnesses  summoned  before  the  Commission 
shall  be  paid  the  same  fees  and  mileage  that  are  paid  to  witnesses  in  the  courts  of 
the  United  States. 

All  of  the  expenses  of  the  Commission,  including  all  necessary  expenses  for  trans¬ 
portation  incurred  by  the  Commissioners  or  by  their  employees  under  their  orders, 
in  making  any  investigation  under  this  act,  shall  be  allowed  and  paid,  on  the 
presentation  of  itemized  vouchers  therefor  approved  by  the  chairman  of  the  Com¬ 
mission  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior. 

Sec.  11.  No  Commission  appointed  under  this  Act  shall  continue  for  a  period  of 
over  three  months  from  the  date  of  the  appointment  thereof,  unless  at  any  time 
before  the  expiration  of  such  period  the  President  shall  otherwise  order. 


APPENDIX  J. 


ANTHRACITE  COAL-CARRYING  COMPANIES 
AND  THE  AFFILIATED  COAL  MINING 

COMPANIES. 


258 


APPENDIX  J. 


ANTHRACITE  COAL-CARRYING  COMPANIES  AND  THE  AFFIL¬ 
IATED  COAL-MINING  COMPANIES. 


In  a  report  on  the  Pennsylvania  anthracite  coal  field,  as  a  part  of 
the  Twenty -second  Annual  Report  of  the  United  States  Geological 
Survey,  Mr.  H.  H.  Stoek  gives  the  following  statement  of  the  rail¬ 
road  companies  entering  the  coal  fields,  with  the  subsidiary  or  affiliated 
coal  companies: 


ANTHRACITE  COAL-CARRYING  RAILROADS,  THEIR  AFFILIATED  COAL 
COMPANIES,  AND  TONS  OF  COAL  SHIPPED  IN  1900. 


Name  of  railroad. 


Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western. 

Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Co. 

Erie  and  Wyoming  Valley 
R.  R.(fl) 

Erie  R.  R . 

New  York,  Susquehanna  and 
Western. 

New  York,  Ontario  and  West¬ 
ern. 

Pennsylvania  R.  R . 

Lehigh  Valley  R.  R . 

Delaware,  Susquehanna  and 
Schuylkill. 

Central  R.  R.  of  New  Jersey... 

Philadelphia  and  Reading 
R.  R. 


Name  of  affiliated  coal  company. 


Coal  department  Delaware,  Lacka¬ 
wanna  and  Western  R.  R. 

Coal  department  Delaware  and  Hud¬ 
son  Canal  Co. 

Pennsylvania  Coal  Co . 


Headquarters  of 
mining  operation. 

Shipments 
in  1900. 

Scranton . 

Tons. 

6,013,849 

_ do . 

3, 973, 859 

'  2,090,153 

•  1, 741, 069 

1,333,  848 

1  1,658,457 

J-Dunmore . 

Scranton . 

Wilkesbarre . 

5, 169, 947 

. do . 

6, 909, 442 
1, 568, 488 

Drifton . 

Wilkesbarre . 

5, 309, 866 

Pottsville . 

9, 338, 516 

Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Co . 

Absorbed  by  Erie . 

Scranton  Coal  Co.;  New  York  and 
Scranton  Coal  Co. 

Coal  companies  of  the  Pennsylvania 
R.  R. 

Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Co . 

Cross  Creek  Coal  Co . 

Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Co. . . . 
Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and 
Iron  Co. 


a  Absorbed  by  the  Erie  interests. 

Mr.  Stoek  adds: 

The  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  W estern  Railroad  Companj^  has  the 
right  to  mine,  transport,  and  sell  coal.  *  *  *  Its  operations  are 

mainly  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Scranton  and  along  the  northern 
bank  of 'the  Susquehanna,  between  Pittston  and  Plymouth,  and  also  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Nanticoke,  where  it  has  a  magnificent,  untouched 
field  of  coal,  awaiting  development. 

The  road  has  no  tenants  operating  mines  upon  its  lands,  but  it  does 
ship  the  output  of  a  number  of  individual  operators.  The  main  line 
of  the  railroad  crosses  the  Lackawanna  basin  at  Scranton,  which  is  the 
headquarters  of  the  coal  department  and  where  there  are  extensive 
yards  and  shops.  A  branch  known  as  the  Lackawanna  and  Blooms- 
burg  Division  extends  from  Scranton,  down  the  Susquehanna  River, 
to  Northumberland,  where  it  connects  with  the  Pennsylvania  Rail¬ 
road.  This  division  is  equipped  for  handling  a  large  coal  tonnage. 

The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  operates  its  coal  depart¬ 
ment  under  the  same  name,  and  its  operation  extends  from  the  upper 
end  of  the  northern  field  above  Carbondale  to  Plymouth.  In  the  upper 

255 


256  REPOET  OF  ANTHRACITE  COAL  STRIKE  COMMISSION. 

portion  of  this  territory  mining  has  been  carried  on  since  1829,  this 
company  being  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  anthracite  corporations.  Until 
the  close  of  1898  most  of  its  coal  was  shipped  over  the  gravity  road 
from  Carbondale  to  Honesdale,  and  thence  by  canal  to  Rondout  on 
the  Hudson,  but  at  the  close  of  the  season  of  1898  the  gravity  road  and 
canal  were  abandoned  and  a  standard-gauge  road  was  built  between  Car¬ 
bondale  and  Honesdale,  where  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  delivered  its 
coal  to  the  Erie.  A  portion  of  the  tonnage  also  passes  over  the  J effer- 
son  Branch  of  the  Erie  from  Carbondale  to  Nineveh,  where  it  is  taken 
by  the  main  line  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson. 

The  Erie  and  Wyoming  Valley  Railroad  superseded  the  old  gravity 
road  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company.  It  was  built  to  connect  the 
mines  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  and  to  transport  its  coal 
from  Pittston  to  Hawley,  where  it  is  delivered  to  the  Erie. 

The  coal  properties  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  now  working 
are  near  Pittston  and  Dunmore,  while  there  are  reserves  north  of 
Scranton. 

The  Erie  Railroad  Company  designates  its  coal  company  the  Hill¬ 
side  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  and  its  principal  operations  are  at  the 
extreme  northern  end  of  the  Lackawanna  Vailey,  near  Forest  City, 
Jermyn,  Mayfield,  and  Peckville,  although  it  also  has  collieries  at 
Moosic  and  Avoca,  and  it  owns  the  Butler  colliery  at  Pittston.  The 
Erie  railroad  does  not  extend  south  of  Carbondale,  but  the  coal  from 
these  collieries  is  transported  over  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  to  Car¬ 
bondale  or  over  the  Erie  and  Wyoming  to  Hawley,  where  it  is  taken  by 
the  Erie.  It  also  transports  a  large  amount  of  coal  for  individual 
operators  and  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson.  The  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company  and  the  Erie  and  Wyoming  Valley  Railroad  are  now  owned 
and  operated  by  the  Erie. 

The  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  Railway  Company  is  nomi¬ 
nally  only  a  coal  carrier,  but  the  New  York  and  Scranton  Coal  Com¬ 
pany,  and  the  Scranton  Coal  Company  are  generally  considered  as  the 
coal  department  of  this  road.  It  connects  with  the  Central  Railroad 
of  New  Jersey  in  Scranton,  and  within  the  last  year  it  has  been  a  heavy 
buyer  of  coal  properties,  most  of  which  are  north  of  Scranton,  its 
principal  properties  being  the  collieries  formerly  owned  by  the  Lacka¬ 
wanna  Iron  and  Steel  Company,  by  the  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron  Com¬ 
pany,  and  by  the  Pancoast  Coal  Company. 

The  New  York,  Susquehanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company  has 
been  absorbed  by  the  Erie. 

The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company’s  mines  in  the  Wyoming  region 
are  operated  under  the  name  of  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company,  and 
its  properties  are  near  Nanticoke  and  Glen  Lyon,  at  the  extreme  south¬ 
ern  end  of  the  Wyoming  field.  This  road  enters  the  western-middle 
field  by  the  branch  running  from  Shamokin  to  Sunbury,  and  operates 
mines  between  Shamokin  and  Mount  Carmel  by  its  subcorporationsf 
the  Mineral  Railroad  and  Mining  Company,  and  the  Union  Coal  Com¬ 
pany.  It  also  has  branch  lines  running  from  its  north  and  west  branch 
into  the  Schuylkill  and  Lehigh  regions,  and  it  has  traffic  arrangements 
for  transporting  coal  over  these  branches. 

The  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company  conducts  its  mining  opera¬ 
tions  under  the  name  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company,  which  was 
organized  in  1881.  The  company  operates  mines  in  all  of  the  coal 
fields,  and  in  addition  to  the  large  output  of  its  own  mines  the  railroad 


APPENDIX  J. 


COAL-CARRYING  AND  MINING  COMPANIES.  257 


is  an  extensive  carrier  of  coal  mined  on  its  own  land  by  its  tenants 
and  also  by  individual  operators  mining  upon  lands  which  do  not 
belong  to  the  railroad  company.  The  main  line  of  the  railroad  runs 
through  the  anthracite  held  from  Mauch  Chunk  to  Pittston,  but  the 
Lehigh  and  Schuylkill  districts,  as  far  as  Mount  Carmel,  are  a  perfect 
network  of  branch  roads,  known  as  the  Coal  Branches. 

The  Delaware,  Susquehanna  and  Schuylkill  Railroad  is  operated  by 
the  Cross  Creek  Coal  Company,  commonly  known  as  the  Coxe  Estate. 
It  connects  all  of  the  colleries  of  this  estate,  and  has  trackage  arrange¬ 
ments  by  which  it  carries  its  coal  to  market  over  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad,  but  with  its  own  engines.  The  mines  of  the  Cross  Creek 
Coal  Company  are  in  the  Lehigh  region,  about  Drifton. 

The  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  mines  under  the  title  of  the 
Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company,  with  headquarters  at  Wilkes- 
barre.  It  operates  collieries  in  the  Wyoming  region  and  has  inter¬ 
ests  in  the  Lehigh  region  near  Audenried.  A  branch  of  the  railroad 
traverses  the  Panther  ("reek  basin  and  handles  the  product  of  the 
Lehig'h  Coal  and  Navigation  Company.  The  company  has  large 
undeveloped  tracts  of  excellent  coal  land  between  Wilkesbarre  and 
Nanticoke.  It  uses  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  tracks  from  W ilkesbarre 
to  within  4  miles  of  Scranton,  which  city  it  enters  over  its  own  tracks, 
and  connects  with  the  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western. 

The  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railroad  operates  its  mines  through 
the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Coal  and  Iron  Company.  It  is  the  most 
extensive  owner  of  coal  lands  and  the  heaviest  miner  of  coal  of  all 
the  operators.  Its  headquarters  are  in  Potts ville  and  its  operations 
are  almost  exclusively  in  the  Schuylkill  region,  including  both  the 
southern  and  the  western-middle  fields.  The  railroad  traverses  the 
Schuylkill  region  from  north  to  south  and  from  east  to  west  and  has 
numerous  branches  reaching  to  its  widely  distributed  collieries. 

All  of  the  roads  mentioned  above  have  an  outlet  into  New  York 
City,  either  directly  or  through  Perth  Ambo3T,  Port  Reading,  or  some 
other  New  Jersey  port.  The  New  England  market  is  supplied  by  rail 
or  by'  water  transportation  in  barges  to  Boston  and  the  Sound  ports. 
The  coal  for  lake  shipment  to  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  Detroit,  and  the 
other  western  distributing  points  is  mainly  shipped  through  Buffalo, 
and  in  smaller  amounts  through  Erie.  The  Lehigh  Valley,  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western,  Erie,  and  Pennsylvania  go  to  Buffalo,  while 
the  Pennsylvania  reaches  Erie  over  its  Philadelphia  and  Erie  branch. 
Such  small  amounts  as  go  to  western  and  central  Pennsylvania  are 
also  carried  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  which  road  also  over  the 
Northern  Central  takes' a  large  portion  of  the  anthracite  supply  to  Bal¬ 
timore,  Washington,  and  points  farther  south.  Philadelphia  is  sup¬ 
plied  by  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  and  by  the  Pennsylvania,  and 
from  here  some  coal  is  also  shipped  southward  over  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio. 


S.  Doc.  6 - 17 


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PRINTED  IN  U  S  A. 

BOSTON  COLLEGE 


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3  9031  030  91791 


HD5325 
.M63 


363320 


Author  ut  s.  Anthracite  onaj  3tri)o. 


Title  commission. 

- Coal  strilcQ  • 


U.s.  Anthracite  Coal  strike. 


HD5325 

.M63 

1902 

,P2  e 


Bapst  Library 

Boston  College 

Chestnut  HilL  Mass.  02167 


